Improvement
by Saru86
Summary: Naruto leaves Konoha and returns after six years. But he isn't the only one who has changed over the time; a lot of things happened and dark clouds gather at the horizon, bringing fire and thunder... main Kaka/Naru, some Kiba/Naru, Yaoi, LemonS, Complete
1. Chapter 1

**Improvement Chapter One**

_A Kakashi / Naruto fanfic_

He couldn't believe it. He definitely couldn't believe it! "You're WHAT?"

"I'm going to train with the pervy sage. He wants to help me become stronger so we can get Sasuke back. Believe it!" the blonde jinchuriki said matter of factly.

"Don't you think I can help you, too?" He didn't want to see his student leave with the toad sage. He may be one of the sannin, but he was Jiraya, too – and everyone knew about his antics.

"Kakashi-sensei, you are a great shinobi and all, but you have missions, you have to take care of the village while I'm not here. You see, it's better when I go with Jiraya."

"I understand, Naruto. But please, behave and don't let Jiraya-sama infect you with his strange behavior!"

"I won't! Believe it!" Naruto smiled and left his sensei from his genin-days.

Kakashi sat at Ichiraku's and suddenly felt lonely. Sasuke – lost to the snake Orochimaru. Sakura – "lost" to the Hokage Tsunade. And now Naruto – lost to the toad sage and ero-sennin Jiraya. He knew he should be proud seeing two of his students making such progress, but on the other hand… The last time he had felt that lonely was when Obito died.

Suddenly a hand landed on Kakashi's shoulder. "What about that face, my eternal rival? Well, not that I could actually see your youthful face behind that mask!" an annoying motivated voice shouted. "But I see in your eyes that there's something bothering you. Talk to me, my friend." Guy ended untypically sincere.

"It's nothing, Guy… You know, it's just… What am I here for? You know me, don't you? I managed to stay detached for so many years. I was in ANBU, I ended lives without the blink of an eye, I fought and I won. And then, there is this genin-team, more or less forced on me, and I become attached. You know? Like really attached! I was involved in their lives; saw their hopes and their dreams. It was Obito all over again, and again I failed."

There was so much emotion in this voice, and the silent tear that ran down Kakashi's masked cheek shocked Guy even more. He hated to see his best friend that desperate.

"Come on, Kakashi! Cheer up! I challenge you!" Guy shouted in his best rivalry-voice. "And I won't accept no for an answer!"

Kakashi knew where this would lead to, but he wasn't in the mood for a Guy following him everywhere he went, so he accepted. "What will we do?"

"That's the spirit I'm looking for! We will go to a pub and see who can hold his liquors! When I fail, I will run five hundred rounds around the Hokage-tower. On my hands. NAKED!"

Kakashi knew a made up story when he saw one – he told them often enough for himself – but he appreciated the attempt of his best friend for cheering him up. "Okay, let's go!"

###############################

Six years later 

"I'm home, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto bolted into the academy's classroom only to find it empty. "Huh?"

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Naruto turned around and saw Genma leaning in the doorframe, suspiciously chewing on his senbon. "Wait, Naruto?"

"Yeah," Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "I was looking for Iruka-sensei. Do you know where he is?"

"He's out on the training grounds. Shuriken-training with his class. By the way: Glad to have you back! You have to tell me what you did with Jiraya-sama! What about we'll go to a pub this evening? I'll get the others and we can celebrate your return!" Genma asked.

"That would be nice, Genma, but… I think I'ld rather like to wait with that celebration. You know, I want to see some people before everyone knows I'm back. It was a long time and… well… I just need some time to get in touch with a few friends."

"Yeah, I see. No problem, Naruto! Just tell me when you're ready! And, trust me, I won't sell you out."

"'Kay, thanks!" And with that Naruto bolted out of the open window, headed to the training grounds.

A few streets away, in a little apartment in the center of Konoha, Kakashi, the former genius and respected copy-nin stumbled out of his bed. It may have been lunch-time, but what was the point in getting up early when you got to bed just a few hours before, with the knowledge of an oncoming headache?

The last time he remembered being absolutely sober was the day when Naruto had left Konoha. Six years of loneliness had gotten to Kakashi; he was just a shadow of his former self. His friends had tried to help him, tried to take his thoughts away from his dark memories, but he wouldn't have anything of that. Even as Tsunade came to his house and dragged him out to her office to give him a new genin-team hadn't managed to get him out of his suffer.

##### Three years earlier #####

"Konohamaru and his friends deserve a sensei that is able to help them become great ninjas." He mumbled with a slight slur in his voice.

"Hatake Kakashi!" Tsunade yelled. "I won't have anything of that! You are a great teacher and our village needs your help and your knowledge! Can't you see what you did with these brats you brought on their way? Every one of them became a great ninja in just a few years. They surpass most of the shinobis in this village and they aren't even twenty years old!"

"Oh yes. And it is great that one of them betrayed his village, betrayed his Hokage, betrayed his friends to become one of Orochimaru's minions." Kakashi stated.

"And that is your only apology for disrespect your village, disrespect your Hokage, disrespect your friends?" she deadpanned. "I can't believe you, brat. I can't believe what you do to yourself. What is this all about, Kakashi? You are one of our greatest shinobi and you know that we all depend on you. Why don't you tell me what this really is about?" Kakashi had only glared, but remained silent. "I think Guy knows something, but he is too good of a friend as to tell me what bothers you."

"Yes, he is! Why don't you just let it rest, 'Hokage-sama'!" Never once had Kakashi showed that much of disrespect against his leader.

"Okay, dismissed. But don't think this is over!"

##### Now #####

It hadn't been over, that was for sure. But Kakashi had refused to socialize with everyone else than Guy, Kurenai and Asuma. Guy, because he WAS his best friend; that was for sure. And Kurenai and Asuma had somehow managed to get through to him on one of their missions they were sent on. Even if they didn't know the true depths of his grieve and the self doubts he had since he had killed Obito. And that was exactly what he thought. He had killed Obito, he was responsible for Sasuke going to Orochimaru and now he even might have killed Naruto by letting him go with Jiraya. Gods only knew what dangers they were in and if the Akatsuki had managed to kill them both.

Kakashi stumbled into his dark bathroom and managed to climb into his shower. Cold water run down his broad chest and his toned stomach, dripping down his pale skin. When his teeth began to chatter he got out of the shower, dried himself and changed into his jonin-uniform. He had promised he would help Iruka with the shuriken-training today and was already late. Well, that wasn't unexpected and he hated to disappoint the expectations the whole village had about his laziness.

After having dressed properly he headed to the training grounds, captured again in his own dark thoughts of a dying Obito and an unconscious, badly hurt Naruto in his arms in the valley of the end.

###############################

Naruto was at the training grounds a few minutes after he had left Genma in the academy. He hid in a tree nearby and observed the young children while they tried to hit a strangely familiar scarecrow with their shuriken. Iruka stood next to his students and gave some advice about how to hold the throwing weapons and how to concentrate on the enemy. With a silent chuckle Naruto figured out why exactly that scarecrow seemed to be familiar – it wore a facemask and its hitai-ate was dragged down over the left eye. The children aimed on a copy of his former sensei Kakashi!

Speaking of which… A well-known ninja appeared in a puff of smoke, next to Iruka. "Yo!"

"Ah, Kakashi-san, you managed to accompany us, and that with just thirty minutes delay. I'm proud of you!"

"Just half an hour?" Kakashi asked surprised. "I planned to be late more than an hour!"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I gave you the wrong time for showing up." Iruka stated and turned to his students. "As you can see we have the great Hatake Kakashi with us. If you have any questions about your training feel free to ask him!"

Naruto sat in his tree and was purely shocked. THAT was Kakashi-sensei? What had gotten to him to change him into the person that stood there? His eyes were empty, his hair was messier than ever before and even his aura seemed to be dark and lost. That wasn't the Kakashi he had left six years ago! Unsure what to do Naruto stayed where he was and observed his two senseis as they worked with the children – Iruka with his usual, bright smile and Kakashi detached and, well… lost.

After a few minutes Iruka left his class and headed slowly to Naruto's tree. "Hey there!" He greeted quietly. "Hello, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto greeted back, equally silent. "Who is this guy and what did he do with Kakashi-sensei?"

Iruka could hear the concern in Naruto's voice and wondered when the noisy kid grew up to become such a composed and caring adult. "I can't talk now but meet me at Ichiraku's after this lesson. My treat!"

"I'll see you there, Iruka-sensei, but today it will be MY treat!" Naruto stated and disappeared. Iruka returned to his class and couldn't wait for it to end. He had missed the orange nin and wanted to hear everything he had to tell about the last six years of his absence.

When Iruka reached his destination he found Naruto in the booth, already chatting with the shop's owner and his daughter. "Ah Iruka-sensei, there you are! Finally!" Naruto said and motioned him to a seat next to his. "So, what's that about Kakashi? Teuchi said he wasn't himself anymore?"

"That's right, Naruto. After you left he became what you saw today and nobody except Guy managed to get to him." Iruka told in a low voice full of concern. He saw the brilliant blue eyes opposite of him darken with worry.

"What happened?" he asked slowly and wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear.

"I don't know. After you were gone he began to drink on a regular basis. He forgot his duties, did only take a few missions, most of them alone and risky and made himself scarce. Nobody knows what exactly is wrong with him and he doesn't talk to anyone. He hid in his apartment and didn't leave it except for his missions or to buy more sake." This answer worried Naruto even more.

"I have to talk to him!" he said and put some money on the counter. "I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei. Please, enjoy your meal, but I have to go." With that he excused himself and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Iruka smiled to himself and ordered some ramen. "When someone can talk to Kakashi than it's you, Naruto!" he thought and did as Naruto told him to – he enjoyed his ramen. 

###############################

THUMP THUMP

The annoying knocking didn't stop. It hadn't stopped since five minutes and Kakashi became angrier with every passing second. Everyone in this goddamn village fucking KNEW he didn't want to talk to anyone! "Go away!" he yelled, not even bothering to take a look at who it was that disturbed his sake-blessed loneliness. The knocking stopped and Kakashi let out a relieved sigh. That was until one of his windows in the living room exploded in thousands of pieces and a giant orange ball flew into his flat. "Whaddafuck!"

"I'm glad to see you too, sensei!" Naruto said with a sheepish smile.

Kakashi stood thunderstruck, glaring at the intruder. "Naruto?"

The whisper of his name washed away the faked smile on his face and Naruto looked at the man in front of him that once used to be his hero. The air in the small living room was sated with the smell of sake and dirty laundry, take out boxes were all over the room and there was dust everywhere. "Who are you?" he asked suspiciously and his eyebrows met in a frown.

"Naruto…" Kakashi still couldn't believe his own eyes. He was there, right in front of him! He had grown a lot – they were nearly the same height, Naruto was even a few inches taller. But the biggest difference was seen in his face. Naruto had grown up. He was an adult now – forgotten were the childish and round lines of his face, the prankster-glint in his eyes and the naïve and innocent look. Now he saw more masculine, nearly breathtaking features, calm crystal blue pools that were his eyes, and an aura that showed that Naruto wasn't a kid anymore. Now he was a dangerous ninja; just his sincere happiness was still there, mixed with the wish to help those who were precious to him. "Naruto!"

"Yeah, it's me." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head like he had done so many times before, wearing his trademark smile. "But I don't get who YOU are!"

"You're not the first saying this…" Kakashi mumbled to his feet and refused to look into Naruto's sparkling eyes. He didn't deserve their light on him; not after all he had done to Naruto and so many others.

"What are you talking about, Kakashi-sensei? 'Don't deserve', 'what I did to him and others'… Bullshit! That's what I say!"

Had he said that loud? The sake was surely getting to him, Kakashi thought. "Sorry, I was a bit lost in my thoughts."

"You surely were! But that's why I'm here! What you need is the 'Uzumaki special cure for hopeless cases'!" That announcement wasn't exactly what Kakashi wanted to hear – in fact he was more or less frightened of what Naruto had planned. "And it starts exactly… NOW!" Naruto yelled grabbing one of Kakashi's arms while performing some seals with the other hand and in the blink of an eye they found themselves in the forest outside of Konoha on a little clearing.

"Let's start with a little sparring, Kakashi-sensei! You just HAVE to see how much stronger I am now! Even I am impressed of me! And Jiraya-sensei said when I work that hard I will surpass even the Fourth! I could surpass a Hokage! Isn't that… totally cool?"

There was no denying it, Naruto's enthusiasm was contagious and a little smile flashed over Kakashi's covered lips and even found its way into his former empty eyes. That didn't fail to catch Naruto's attention and he let out a small sigh of relief.

"So, you think you are cool?" Kakashi mocked. "Then let's see what you have learned over the last six years!" Naruto nodded and stood in his fighting stance. "As luck would have it I found this little bell in my bag. You may recognize it?" And before he could even finish his sentence, Naruto stood right in front of him and held the bell in his hand.

"Yeah, I remember. But the last time I didn't manage to even touch it. You grow old, sensei." Naruto snickered.

"Oh, big words for a brat like you!" Kakashi snarled. "Then let's take this to the next level!" With these words he lifted his hitai-ate and activated his Sharingan. The crimson red eye with the three black, swirling dots focused on Naruto and in a second Kakashi caught his bell back and disappeared.

Naruto couldn't help but grinned and went after his sensei in a rush. While chasing him through the forest he performed his trademark seals and several Naruto-clones popped into existence. "Go fetch him!" he instructed them and sat down on a branch. With Kakashi as his opponent he had to come up with a better plan than his kage bunshin no jutsu (Shadow clone jutsu), but you never knew if luck wasn't on your side, did you?

Kakashi heard the characteristical "Poof" of the clones and sped up. He had to get some distance between him and the bunshins to work on a plan. He was a little disappointed in Naruto. He had thought the younger ninja had really improved and grown up; that he was able to get the bell in his first attempt had seemed to be a proof for that. But now he relayed on his old strategies, even when he should have known that Kakashi would take his clones out in the blink of an eye. Speaking of which… Out of the blue one of the kage bunshins threw a kunai in his direction while another Naruto tried to use the distraction to land a hit in the silver haired ninja's side. Kakashi dogged both attacks and performed some seals. "Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu" (Great fireball technique). Both clones disappeared with a "Poof".

Naruto opened his eyes as the memories of his bunshins returned to him. "Ah, that direction…"

The Sharingan gnawed on Kakashi's chakra-supply, so he had to cover his eye after he had eliminated some of Naruto's clones. He was sure he could take the rest out without the help of his visual jutsu and he needed his reserves for Naruto himself. He kneeled on the ground, hidden in some bushes, to catch his breath. Naruto's stamina was remarkable, but he had known that before. And, even if Kakashi wasn't at his best, you shouldn't underestimate him – he wasn't famous for nothing!

He closed his second eye, too, and concentrated on his surroundings. He heard the typical sound of the forest – birds, bigger animals, the rustling of leafs in the wind. What he didn't hear was any sign of Naruto's presence, or even one of his clones. Was that a good sign? Maybe the younger nin had capitulated? No, never! Others may be capable to admit their defeat, but not Naruto! And as on cue an orange whirlwind seemed to appear from nowhere. Kakashi managed to dodge the blow in the last second but Naruto wasn't willing to give him his well deserved break. They exchanged some blows, both just managing to dodge and block the attacks of the other.

After a few minutes of their fierce taijutsu-battle the opponents spotted a breach in the other's defense and landed a hit, simultaneously. Both men 'poofed' in non-existence and laughter could be heard from two of the trees surrounding the small clearing. "Your taijutsu definitely has improved, Naruto!" Kakashi complimented. "So has your kage bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto answered chuckling.

A strange noise in his back caught Kakashi's alertness and he jumped high in the air.

Whew, that was close! he thought and watched two Narutos as they knocked themselves over.

"And now, Kakashi-sensei, you are exactly where I wanted you to be!" Kakashi looked up and his breath caught. Naruto was above him, a giant globe of blue, swirling chakra in his right hand. Only now the older one eyed ninja heard the sound of the rasengan, knowing fully well that he was defeated. Without another word he took the bell that was attached to his belt and gave it to Naruto's empty hand. Naruto presented him with a huge grin, took the bell and let the chakra-globe disappear.

"I'm very impressed!" Kakashi said as the two nins were on their way back to the village. The first stars popped up in the sky and the sun had finished her way across the sky. "You really have improved and I am glad that you became that strong. But in the first place I'm just happy to see you alive and kicking!"

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei! I'm happy you appreciate my hard work. And it WAS hard work; that I can ensure you!" Naruto laughed and led Kakashi to Ichiraku's. "Seeing that I defeated you and that I didn't get my ramen for lunch because of you, I guess it's your treat now."

With a confused look Kakashi nodded and ordered two portions of miso-ramen. "That's still your favorite, isn't it?"

The younger nin nodded frantically. "It definitely is!"

It was then when Kakashi noticed the absence of Naruto's signature-sentence. "What happened to your 'Believe it!'?" he asked curiously.

"I got rid of it after I discovered you don't have to believe it. You just have to do it! But it sounds awkward when someone screams 'Do it!' every now and then. It's even worse than the 'youthful springtime' Bushy Brow and Gai-sensei always babble about."

That made Kakashi laugh; something he hadn't done for nearly seventy-two months. "Naruto, I'm really, really glad to have you back in town!"

After that they ate in silence, while Kakashi couldn't get rid of the smile behind his mask. Even more so when he saw the disappointed look on his former student's face. "What's wrong, Naruto-kun?"

"Nothing…" he mumbled. "I just hoped I would finally see what's behind that mask of yours, you know? But you ate in, what was that, a second? I didn't even split my chopping-sticks and you are already done with your ramen."

Kakashi chuckled, but became serious immediately. "You know, Naruto, the only people that saw my face were my lovers, and even those had to deserve it."

"Oh, that's easy, Kakashi-sensei. So I just have to become your lover and then you will show me?" Naruto bounced on his stool and grinned inanely.

_'If you only knew, Naruto, that there are only two people in this world that actually know my face…_' with that thought the once cheerful atmosphere darkened and even the ramen-shop's owner noticed the change.

"Kakashi-san, Naruto-kun; what about another bowl on the house?" Teuchi asked with a desperate grin on his lips.

While Naruto's eyes sparkled Kakashi just shook his head and stood up. "Thank you very much, Teuchi-san, but I have to go home." His voice was empty and didn't give away any of his thoughts. That was what concerned Naruto the most. After having seen his sensei in such a free and good mood while and after the spar he didn't want to see him in his own dark world again.

"Kakashi-sensei; would you mind me joining you for the evening? We could catch up on everything that happened here in the last years and…"

"Thank you, Naruto-kun, but I just want to go to bed. It was a hard training with you and I'm not used to it anymore." With that Kakashi jumped onto the rooftops of Konoha and disappeared in the darkness.

"Naruto, I don't know what exactly you did to Kakashi-san, but please make sure that you do this more often!" Teuchi said and motioned Naruto back to his stool. "And now I invite you to as many bowls of ramen as you like; you just have to tell me everything about your journey with Jiraya-sama!" Naruto sat happily and told the cook and his daughter everything he had experienced with the toad sage.

###############################

As Kakashi arrived at his apartment he closed the door behind him and locked it. The broken window in the living room didn't bother him, seeing that his 'living' room was just there to have a room to drink in. But now he didn't want to drink anymore! Naruto had showed him what difference a few years of training could make and he didn't want to be left behind by one of his students.

There WOULD come the day when Naruto was way stronger than Kakashi, but that day wasn't here yet. Not as long as Kakashi had some resources he could depend on! He had some potential left; he just had to use it. And right now, after Naruto's return, he could be the perfect sparring-partner.

If he could Tsunade to reinstall Team 7, completely with Sakura as medic-nin and incredibly strong kunoichi, they could manage missions that were S-ranked, that he was sure of!

The sun still had to show her yellow face as Kakashi was already on his way to the Hokage-tower. Not bothering with using the door he jumped through the window of Tsunade's office, gracefully landing on the carpet in front of her desk. The Hokage herself wasn't in her office, but it could only take a few seconds until… "Hatake Kakashi! What are you doing in my office in the middle of the night?" she yelled as she slammed the door open.

"Yo!" he greeted her with smiling eyes, not the slightest afraid of her blustery behavior.

The busty woman rounded her desk and tried to bring some order in her hair; she seemed to be fallen out of her bed as the alarm had gone off. "Well, since I'm already here you can tell me what you want, brat."

"I think you might consider using a new nickname for me, seeing that your favorite brat is back in town." Kakashi announced and watched as the sun lid up in Tsunade's eyes.

"He is…?" she whispered and looked at Kakashi, some small, hopeful tears glistering in the corner of her eyes.

"Yes, he and Jiraya-sama returned yester-" He was suddenly interrupted by another ninja that flew through the window, landing equally graceful on the carpet.

"Hello baa-chan!" Naruto yelled and caught here in a tight hug.

Kakashi suspected there were several reasons for the embrace. There was the happiness of the reunion, that's for sure, but while hugging Tsunade Naruto made sure she wouldn't be able to hit him. Kakashi smirked. _Foxy fox!_

"Brat, you are back!" Tsunade managed to say while she was fighting back the relief in her voice. For the last two years she hadn't received one little note, no message of two of her most precious people and she hadn't dared to think of them dead. Seeing her precious brat now, hugging her tightly, was more than she could bear so gave in to her emotions and hugged Naruto back while sobbing silently. "I was so afraid I would never get you back!"

"But baa-chan, how can you say something like that! I'm Uzumaki Naruto! No one can put up with me!"

"Oh, there you are right, that's for sure!" she laughed and sank back into her chair.

Naruto went back to Kakashi and stood next to him. "And I had pervy-sage with me, so there really was no match for us. You may have heard that the Akatsuki are running low on members? That may have to do with Jiraya and me hunting them down." Naruto informed, not without a small dose of pride in it.

Kakashi saw the surprised glance Tsunade shot over her desk, but she covered it even quicker. "You did WHAT? You are the jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox! They are after you! You were gone with Jiraya to prevent you from being caught by them and what did you do? You 'hunt them down'? I can't believe what my ears are hearing!"

"That may have to do with your age, old hag…" Naruto whispered not so silently.

"BRAT!"

Kakashi chuckled and was glad that he wasn't in Naruto's place as Tsunade smacked him on the back of his head.

"Speaking of which…" Kakashi started, but abruptly stopped as he saw Tsunade's glance. "I meant Naruto's training and his improvements over the last years!" he quickly continued. Tsunade relaxed in her chair and motioned him to continue. "I would like to revive 'Team 7'."

He felt the eyes of both, Naruto and Tsunade, on his face and smiled. "After the sparring we had yesterday and the possibility of seeing Narutos progress – and I'm sure Sakura is a genius in her field, regarding her sensei is one of the sannin – I'm sure it would be a great convenience for Konoha, don't you think?"

While Naruto was nearly floating over the carpet after hearing the compliment (and the thought of the pinkette, Kakashi assumed surprisingly disappointed), Tsunade remained silent. After a few minutes she turned to speak up.

"Shizune, get Sakura please."

"Right, Tsunade-sama." The silent woman answered, appearing in the doorframe

Some moments later Sakura entered through the same door Shizune had closed before. She eyed her former and her actual senseis and the strangely familiar person next to them. "Sakura, I assign you to the newly reformed Team 7, if you agree. You would take the position of the medic-nin in the three-man-team under Kakashi-san's captaincy."

"Well, of course, Tsunade-sama! I see that Kakashi-sensei is the captain, regarding his special-jonin-rank and that I, as a jonin myself, am capable to go on high-ranked missions, but who will be the third member? The rest of the 'Rookie 9' is assigned to their respective teams, Naruto is missing and Sasuke… well…" Sakura's voice died out and another curious glance wandered over the foreign ninja who stood with his back to her.

"Ah, I see. You aren't on the current, Sakura-chan." Kakashi explained.

"Does that mean Naruto is…? No, that cannot be. He's dead! He would have said something, would have sent a message if he were alive! But, then it's Sasuke who is back?" There was much less enthusiasm in her voice as anyone in the room would have expected. Even her eyes didn't show the glow that would have been there a few years ago, when she just mentioned the name of the Uchiha-heir.

"Long time no see, Sakura-chan!" Naruto finally turned around and Sakura's breath caught.

"Naruto? Is it really you?" she whispered and couldn't believe her eyes.

She understood why she hadn't recognized him in the first place. He had grown, was taller than she was, and he hadn't just grown in height. He clearly had become a man.

_'More like walkin' testosterone!_' Sakura thought and eyed her former team-member. The skintight and surprisingly NOT orange-colored shirt worshipped Naruto's broad frame and the equally tight jeans left nothing to the imagination – not the muscular ankles and thighs, and not the measure of his package. Sakura blushed.

Seeing his teammate blush Naruto couldn't prevent him from remembering the time before he had left with Jiraya. The crush he had had on Sakura had accompanied him for so many years – from his childhood until he grew up and became the man he was now. But along this way he had understood that Sakura wasn't meant to be with him – and vice versa. Anyhow, he had strong feelings for the pinkette and caught her in an equally tight embrace as he had Tsunade just a few minutes ago.

"Sakura-chan! I'm so glad to see you!" Definitely one of the phrases that were used very often today, and it wasn't even 7a.m. yet.

"Naruto, where did you come from? What do you do here? And, why didn't you write one. Goddamned. Letter?" She had become louder and louder.

Naruto whimpered under her burning gaze and tried to hide behind Kakashi. "Not in this lifetime!" the grey haired man chuckled and stepped aside. "That's your fight!"

His blond student shot him a betrayed glance, but Kakashi wasn't willing to be hurt by the student of Tsunade, the famous sannin, medic-nin and probably strongest woman on the planet. The only woman Kakashi thought could be stronger was Sakura, when someone had pushed the right buttons. And Naruto surely was one of those people who pushed those buttons – his talent was to push them all at the same time.

As Naruto saw the concentrated chakra in Sakura's fist, he jumped behind Tsunade's chair and hid behind the busty woman.

"Enough!" she yelled and the pinkette relaxed a little bit. But her eyes never left the tanned man hiding behind her role model.

Jiraya chose exactly that moment to enter the office. "Oh, hello everyone. Did I miss something?"

Four pairs of eyes settled on the white haired sannin who looked rather confused. "Is there a reason for this gathering?"

"Actually, there is." Tsunade purred sickly-sweet. Everyone in the room tensed; everyone but Jiraya, that is.

"Oh, excellent. So, fill me in!"

"WHAT ABOUT YOU NOT SENDING A MESSAGE! OR YOU NOT SEING ME IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RETURNED TO THE VILLAGE! OR, MY FAVORITE: YOU 'HUNTING DOWN AKATSUKI' WITH NARUTO!" The racks and cupboards on the office-walls clattered and the window glasses clashed.

"Message? Return? Akatsuki?" Jiraya's voice was low and anxious. "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, Tsuni!" he tried but was interrupted as the last syllable had left his mouth.

"Don't start with 'Tsuni'!" the Hokage yelled, and that she was louder as Naruto's laughter may have saved his life.

Kakashi could hear him chuckling. "'Tsuni!'" The grey haired man liked that sound. The hidden chuckling that is, not the ridiculous nickname.

"Team 7, dismissed!" Tsunade stated. "YOU stay!" Jiraya looked like a kicked puppy, but no one was brave enough to jump in for him. Only Naruto threw an apologetic look to Tsunade.

"Don't be too harsh, baa-chan. He really is a great teacher and an even greater shinobi!" Jiraya answered with a thankful glance while Tsunade simply snuffled.

###############################

"So, Team 7 all over again!" Naruto exclaimed and put a fist in the air. Sakura followed him and couldn't take her eyes off of him. The slightly longer, sunshine-blond hair, the broad shoulders, the impressive back, the slender waist, the strong thighs, and, oh this ass! "Sakura, everything alright?"

She looked up in azure eyes and felt like she was pulled into the abyss behind those stars. "Sakura?"

"What? Yeah, sorry. Everything's okay, I'm fine!"

"'Kay… Was just concerned, you looked a little strange."

Those words went by unnoticed; Sakura was in her own little world again. Kakashi recognized the signs and wondered if Sakura had changed even a little, remembering the time when the same look was seen on her face every time she talked with Sasuke. Another sting went through his heart and he still couldn't catch what it was that made his soul ache. Probably it was just the bitter memories of his failures in the past.

Anyway, he was very satisfied with his idea of reviving Team 7. That wouldn't just allow him to be on better missions again and to train with some remarkable shinobis; he would be able to see Naruto on a regular basis!

'_Wait! Where did that come from?_' He couldn't allow such thoughts, even if they stayed unspoken! Kakashi wasn't the man that got caught in something like feelings, especially not for others! He had got ridden of emotions as Obito had died in his arms and it was better that way. When he began to allow himself the traitorous luxury of emotions, then he would become weak. And he couldn't afford to become weak – not, when he had to be strong and be able to protect Naruto from any harm! And again an unwelcome thought… Where would this lead them to?

At first it led them to a restaurant where they celebrated their little reunion, soon accompanied by some of the Rookie 9 who happened to be headed to the same restaurant.

They sat in their booth and Naruto had to tell them what he had seen and who he had killed while fighting against the Akatsuki. Even Hyuuga Neji couldn't hide the surprise in his ivory eyes and as he vocalized his respect for the permanently tanned man the rest of the youth sat in astonished silence.

"What? He IS a strong ninja! And he is a role model for every one of us. Show me one amongst us who hasn't been influenced by Naruto in his life." Neji postulated. Naruto blushed after these words and the amiable looks he received.

"N-Na-Naruto-kun…" Hinata began. "You… you look g..-good!" She blushed and dropped her gaze as if she hoped nobody would notice her.

"Thank you very much, Hinata-chan! The same goes for you!" Naruto smiled and Hinata fainted. "What's wrong with her?"

"I can't believe that you still don't get it!" Kiba growled and glared at Naruto. But he couldn't stay serious for a long time. One of the reasons may have been that Hinata 'woke up' again and laughed loudly.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! I was sooo in love with you back then! That's why I was spluttering all the time. But I'm not mad at you for not noticing. After all, that's how I got my beloved husband." Another blush adorned her pretty face. "Raidou and I married a few months ago."

"That's great news!" Naruto exclaimed and ordered a round of sake for everyone. After that the group chatted until the evening came and Naruto had heard everything there was to hear. From serious news like Gaara being Kazekage to gossip.

"So, when I get this right… Ino and Chouji are engaged. It has started as an arranged wedding but they fell in love while being chunin? That's great! And Neji, you caught you the bug-boy? Nice, I bet you two talk a lot, don't you?"

The whole table laughed, including Neji. "As you can see, the noble Hyuugas have managed to become more human!" he declared under the applause of the others.

"And I assume you have a target for yourself, Kiba? I seriously hope you didn't go and 'dynamic marked' your target for Akamaru to hunt it down!" Naruto continued laughing.

"Actually I didn't. That doesn't mean I wouldn't…" The table was laughing again.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. It seems there aren't that many choices on the marriage market, are there?" Naruto said grinning. While there were butterflies jittering in her belly, Kakashi's mood dropped conspicuously.

What are those feelings?The jonin couldn't grab them, but they scared him.

###############################

AN: Yay for the first fanfic ever written by me! This little thing was born in the summer of the year 2011. Expect nine more chapters full of Konoha shinobi, jutsu, friends, romance, drama and angst - and everything in between! :D


	2. Chapter 2

Improvement Chapter 2 

Sated and satisfied Team 7 was on its way home. Naruto and Sakura walked side by side and the pinkette had put her head on the blonds' shoulder, nuzzling the curve of his neck.

Kakashi felt something dark and ugly roar in his head.

"What you told us in the restaurant - was everything true?" she asked.

"Well, yeah. Nah, okay, let's say MOST of it was true." Naruto smiled. "Maybe I exaggerated one or two things, but it was pretty much the truth. Why do you ask?"

"Don't know. It's just…" Sakura looked up to him and searched for his eyes until her green eyes locked with his sky blue orbs. "You are so different now than you where then. I don't know if I should miss the old, noisy and nerved Naruto or if I should appreciate what you became."

A quite growl escaped Kakashi's throat but remained unheard.

Naruto looked down into Sakura's eyes and wasn't sure what he should answer. After a few moments of silence he cleared his throat. "I **have** changed, haven't I? At least I think so and ero-sennin had said the same. He said I was on the right path to become a great ninja and I thought that's the right path for me. That's the path that will lead me to the Hokage-tower!" And he was back to his old, overpowered self.

Sakura giggled and seemed to melt into Naruto's side. She huddled against the warm body next to her and purred. The moment that sound reached Naruto's ears his laughter caught in his breath and somehow shocked eyes fell onto the pink part in his jugular crook.

Neither of them registered the absence of their sensei. Kakashi leaped up to the rooftops of Konoha, not able to see his students nearly making out on the public streets of the village. He didn't quite understand where that came from, but somehow he wasn't sure anymore if the revival of Team 7 had been a good idea. It had seemed so at the first moment, but now… Right now he missed his time alone with the blond jinchuriki, missed their training and the good time they have had afterwards.

_Well, I am Naruto's sensei – it's just natural that I care about him! I saw him become stronger and stronger and I have neglected Naruto; Sakura too, but… Who cares? Wait! **I** should care, she was my student too! I simply don't know what's wrong with me…_

With that thought in mind Kakashi headed for the darker districts of Konoha, searching for a bar where he could drown his doubts in alcohol. _Great self-discipline, Kakashi! I'm totally impressed – after one day of hope you're already back into your bad habits._ the jonin thought with a grim smirk on his lips. 

############################ 

The next day greeted Naruto with a rising sun outside and a foreign ceiling above him. He scanned his surroundings with sleepy eyes, searching for something that would give away why he was here and where exactly _here_ was.

It was tidy. The couch was comfortable and it smelled like flowers. That meant he wasn't at Kiba's. He couldn't be at home, either. Because at the moment he didn't even _have_ an own apartment. Right now, Sakura came into the room, balancing a dinner tray in her hands.

"Good morning, Naruto!" she smiled and put the tray on the coffee table. "I hope you slept well?"

"Yes, thank you! And thanks for letting me crash on your couch, Sakura-chan." He rubbed the back of his head. "I definitely have to find a flat, I guess."

"It's okay, Naruto. I'm glad you stayed overnight." She blushed slightly. "Now let's have breakfast and then we go to find Kakashi."

"Yeah, right. I'd love to have a little sparring with you and Kakashi-sensei!"

The breakfast was simple but good and after they had put the dishes in the sink they headed outside.

As they reached Kakashi's apartment the blinds were closed and there was no sign of the apartment's owner.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto called knocking on the door. "Hello?"

Sakura performed some seals and closed her eyes. Opening them she sighed. "He isn't at home, Naruto. I tried to sense his chakra, but the only people I could find were in the other apartments around."

"But where could he be?"

"I guess we have to find out." Sakura said and turned around. "Let's go!"

Even after some hours of searching they hadn't found their teammate. He wasn't at the training grounds, the academy was deserted and nobody of his friends knew where Kakashi was.

"Ah, that sucks!" Naruto groused. "What's with my training? Do you think he went on a mission without us?"

"Where's the logic in that?" came the annoyed reply. " He wouldn't have begged for having us back as a team and then went on a mission alone, would he? But maybe it's an ANBU-thing…" With that Sakura gripped Naruto's arm and performed the teleport-jutsu seals. In the next second they stood in front of the door to Tsunade's office and the pinkette knocked.

"Come in!"

"Tsunade-sama." Sakura greeted respectful.

"Hi baa-chan!" Naruto called, slightly less respectful.

"Brat!" Tsunade answered and looked up with an angry glint in her eyes.

"Sorry, sorry! I'll behave!" the blond said and continued. "You wouldn't know where Kakashi-sensei is, would you?"

"Isn't he at home? I haven't seen him since yesterday…"

"So you didn't send him onto a mission?" Sakura asked.

"No; not without you of course! There's no point in putting together a team and then send them on solo-missions."

The door to the office opened once again and Shizune stood in the doorframe, panting. "Tsunade-sama, it's Kaka… Naruto, Sakura, what are you doing here?"

"Shizune! Do you know where Kakashi is?" Naruto couldn't hold back the concern in his voice.

"Ehrm…" Her eyes locked with Tsunade, who nodded. "Yes, I do. He's in the 'Leafy Lounge'. He's drunk and refuses to leave it. They should have closed last night and he is still there, drinking!"

Before anyone could say one more word Naruto vanished. 

############################ 

"You're closing? I don't think so! I'm a paying client, okay? Give me another one of those drinks and shut the fuck up!" Kakashi wasn't himself anymore. His pronunciation was slurred, his posture slumped and stains sprinkled his mask and his uniform.

The civilian in front of him was scared of the man. He knew the copy-cat nin and how powerful he was. He had destroyed most of the stools on the counter and two of the mirrors behind the bar were cracked.

"Please, gentleman. It's nearly noon! I have to sleep and you should go to bed, too!" The man shrank under the one eyed death glance shot in his direction.

The door to the bar opened and a young man with blond hair stood in the hall; a shadow, framed by glistering sunlight. "Kakashi; calm down now!"

_What's wrong with him? I thought he wanted to change; wanted to become the man he once was. Why didn't he say anything? I guess I understand Shikamaru's attitude. That's definitely troublesome!_ Naruto leaped from roof to roof, heading for the bar Kakashi was in.

As he arrived he could already hear the uproar from the inside. Kicking the door he entered and yelled at Kakashi. "Kakashi; calm down now!" Without a warning the silver haired man tackled him and pinned him on the ground, his boozed breath fanning over Naruto's face.

"Wha'are you doin' here?" he slurred.

"What are YOU doing here?" Naruto answered through gritted teeth and could barely hold back the urge to push the drunken man from him and punch him in the face.

"You shoul' be with your little girlfrien'. She's cute. Go. Go be with her!"

The blond ninja had trouble understanding his sensei, but those syllables that actually were intelligible made him worry even more. "I don't know what you mean. But what I surely know…" He freed himself from the man atop of him and dragged the drunken man out of the bar, throwing an apologetic glance at the owner of the chaos that once had been a pub. "I know what to do with someone who had lost his mind!"

Naruto threw Kakashi over his shoulder and leaped through the small alleys and dark backyards. The silver haired jonin didn't even bridle while his world seemed to lose its focus. Everything around him was spinning and his head ached.

They seemed to have reached their destination, because Naruto had stopped. With quite some effort Kakashi opened his eye and tried to recognize where his student hat taken him. Blinding reflections of sunlight pierced his eye. "'Ruto, where are we?"

"You'll see after you got rid of your hangover." Was the only answer before he flew through the air. He hadn't yet realized what was happening as he hit the cold surface of a small lake in the forests of Konoha. Icy water smashed above him and he had to fight against the urge to scream. After a few seconds he managed to reach the surface again and his head broke out of the water.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"You really have to ask?" Naruto snickered from the bank. "You see, I have no flat and I didn't want to have to search through your pockets to find the key to your apartment so there was no shower available. I thought the lake would do the job pretty well and it seems I was right!" He snorted with laughter. "You totally should see your face right now!"

Kakashi swam over to Naruto and climbed out of the water, still trembling with rage and, for the most, with cold. "You don't know what you got yourself into!" he promised in a dangerous voice.

"I think I can manage you." Naruto stated confidently. "As long as you are in the state you are currently in, even Konohamaru could beat you up!"

The realization hit Kakashi right then and there. Maybe Konohamaru was no match for him, but Naruto could beat his ass in a second if he couldn't straighten himself. He lowered his eyes, ashamed of himself and his behavior. "I'm sorry, 'Ruto." He mumbled nearly inaudible.

"Don't be." The blond sunshine said. "Just remember who you are and behave like it."

Kakashi looked him straight in the eye and didn't find what he expected. There was no disgust, no rejection; all he saw was trust and hope. "Thank you." He whispered and settled next to his former student, who somehow seemed to have become a teacher for now.

Kakashi straightened his legs and sank down into the grass, his wet uniform clinging to him like a second skin. He was still shivering because of the cold and Naruto was worried he could catch a chill.

"Kakashi-sensei, you should get out of your wet clothes. Let's go home."

Instead of that, the jonin got up and began to undress. Naruto saw the pale skin appear from under the dark garment his sensei wore as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Soon after that the trousers followed and the grey haired man laid them in the sun. Every movement was met with disbelief in Naruto's eyes. Did his sensei really _strip_ right in front of him?

Taut muscles danced under the lightly scarred, pale skin of his teacher. They seemed to sing a song about strength, fights and victories, a song about masculinity and lust. The upper part of Kakashi's body was nearly hairless, only a few light hairs led a path from the bellybutton into the hem of his black skintight shorts. And exactly those shorts were revealed to Naruto's secret glances. The dark trousers that were part of the jonin-uniform slid down the muscular thighs, exposing more of the firm buttocks.

There Kakashi stopped and Naruto was more than thankful Konoha's well-known Icha-Icha-perv had done that. His pants were uncomfortably tight already and he didn't know what he had done, had Kakashi lost that particular one of the last of his clothes. The sensei stretched out next to Naruto, only wearing his mask and his underpants and the blond ninja had to fight not to drool.

"I guess I'll just stay here. My clothes can dry and I can get a few hours of sleep. Would you mind staying with me?" Kakashi asked. After a curious glance of Naruto, he explained further. "I fear I will sleep pretty deep after not having slept last night and the drinking may do its own fair share. And I don't want anyone come over to… You know… I don't want anyone to take my mask." His voice was slightly worried and a blush crept over his face.

"It's okay, sensei!" Naruto answered. "I promise I won't look."

"I know, Naruto. That's why I asked you."

Now, a blush graced Naruto's face, too. But it remained unseen, because Kakashi had already closed his eyes and was silently snoring. Naruto lay next to him, propped up onto his elbows and rethinking the events of the day. The picture of Kakashi stripping right in front of him popped up every few seconds and the blond teen had serious problems to think his erection away, especially with his sensei next to him breathing low and making moaning noises now and then.

After about an hour of upcoming erections and the desperate need of getting rid of them, Kakashi took the efforts of Naruto's self-discipline on a whole new level. His moaning became louder and his shorts were definitely tented. Naruto couldn't believe his eyes as the once already appetizing bulge began to grow as if something under the surface was moving and – well, growing.

After those many years with the author of the Icha-Icha-novels he knew very well what was happening and he knew that some dreams had that effect on the male anatomy. It wasn't as if Naruto wouldn't know of the pleasures that a raging hard boner could give. It was just that… Naruto had never had sex with anybody, neither male nor female and it was a little unsettling to see his own sensei react in that way to something in his dreams. Another unsettling fact: His own member reacted to the hidden show he got. And it wasn't comparable with the half hard erections he had to fight earlier; he sported a fully grown boner in his own pants! And that reaction was new for Naruto. Never before had he wondered if he was straight. He thought when you didn't have to think about, you would be straight – it's standard, isn't it? But right now, sitting next to his very male sensei, sporting a very hard erection, Naruto thought it would be the right time to think over his own sexual preferences. 

############################ 

Kakashi bathed in the feeling of another presence in his immediate surroundings. Tanned fingers whispered over his skin, feathery touches ghosting over his body. He hummed happily and enjoyed the closeness of the faceless person next to him. The man worshipping his body was fuzzy, the face not even visible, like being hidden behind clouds. The one eyed jonin only knew that the sun-kissed skin felt good and he fondled every inch he could reach.

The warmth radiating from the stranger made him feel like bathing in sunshine and Kakashi felt safe and in good hands. How relaxed he really was could be seen as his limp member began to twitch. Slowly he lifted his head and began to grow until he stood proud and in all his glory.

Kakashi chuckled, turned on his side and wriggled closer to the mysterious man next to him. He was slightly confused as the shadow turned around to bring some distance between them. Unsurely he scratched his balls as realization hit him straight in the face. Naruto!

A shocked, dark-gray eye snapped open and met equally shocked blue a few inches away. Naruto's face hovered over Kakashi's and glowed in a dark shape of red.

As Kakashi realized that his hand still lay in his crotch he reddened too and turned away from his teammate, shame written in his face. With nervous movements he grabbed his clothes and put them on. They were still a little damp, but he wouldn't worsen the situation as it already was.

"I'm sorry, Naruto! I'm so, so sorry! I had a dream and I didn't know that… And…" he stuttered.

"Yes. No. We… I… you… argh! It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. We're both men and it's not that I don't know what can happen with the equipment." Naruto smiled sheepishly and waited for Kakashi to help him up; that bought him some more seconds to rearrange his own 'equipment'.

Kakashi was busy with rearranging the content of his shorts, then turned around and held out his hand for Naruto to grab it. He earned an alienated snort and was confused. "The other hand please, sensei…" Naruto made clear and Kakashi blushed once more. 

############################ 

On their way home they didn't talk at all; both in their own little worlds, kept in their thoughts. Kakashi nodded a wordless goodbye and headed for his abandoned apartment, an ice-cold shower already scheduled.

Naruto was on his way to the (hopefully empty) gym of the academy where he planned to take a shower, too. He had to find a flat, sooner rather than later!

Entering the gym he breathed a sigh of relieve. It was a Saturday so the hall was abandoned and he went straight to the locker rooms. As soon as he opened the door he heard a shower. _That isn't fair! Whoever you are, go showering at home!_

Naruto sat down on one of the benches in the changing room and waited for whomever to end his cleansing ritual. When there was nobody coming out of the shower room he stood up and walked over to the door. Opening it he didn't only hear the water running but someone whistling.

"Eh… Hello?" Naruto called in the steam-filled room.

"Oi, Naruto!" Ah, Kiba. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for you to end your shower! I want to take one for myself."

"What's the problem? There are plenty of showers – just pick one and enjoy yourself!"

_Exactly my plan, dog-breath! I can't get in there with someone else around! Not in my current state!_ "No, it's okay. I'll just wait…"

"Naruto, I can smell your arousal; don't forget who you are talking to!" Kiba growled and came around the corner, still dripping wet and with shampoo in his chocolate-brown hair. "It isn't at it was the first time I would see you naked, was it? So come on and undress! You can take one of my towels if you want, I have plenty."

Naruto stood in the door, thunderstruck. Not only was Kiba a particular beefy man, he sported a raging hard on while talking to him as they would meet naked every day. "Uhm… Kiba, you…" the blond mumbled.

"Oh, that. Don't worry! It's normal for me, I guess." He scratched his (impressive) pec and shrugged. "That happens every time when I'm showering. May have to do with me being so close with Akamaru. You should see him when he's in the water!" He grinned happily and turned around again. "And now get your ass in here and take that shower!"

As the whistling began again Naruto undressed, took one of the towels and entered the shower room. With the towel around his waist he headed for a shower head in the opposite corner of Kiba and stood with his front to the tiled wall. Without a second thought he ripped away the white cotton and opened the faucet. Icy-cold water outpoured over Naruto and he inhaled hissing.

Kiba turned around and cocked an eyebrow. "May I help you, Naruto? You sound stressed."

"NO!" the addressed yelled in panic what led a second brow to rise.

"Hey, keep cool! Duuuude!" the dog-nin hushed. "It's not that I want to eat you alive."

"Sorry, Kiba. I'm really sorry." Naruto managed through chattering teeth. He froze. Everything in him screamed for something warm – everything but his erection that reminded him of Kakashi climbing out of the cold water or Kakashi stretched out next to him with a growing hard on in his skintight shorts. Naruto's cock twitched.

Kiba came over to him, a reassuring smile on his lips. "Calm down, everythin's alright!" He brought his arm around Naruto's waist without touching him and adjusted the water temperature. A lukewarm rain fell on Naruto's shivering form and slowly but surely his natural tan replaced the pale blue of his undercooled skin."Better now?"

"Temperature yes! Embarrassing erection no!" Naruto stated with an uncomfortable sigh.

Kiba gave him a sympathetic look and then took a step back to leave Naruto's personal space. "You see, there are several options. In the Inuzuka-clan it's very simple. When you are hard, you work on it – like in 'work on it'." He flashed the blond a toothy grin. "When a good friend is around it may become a coproduction, if you understand…" Another grin, answered with a disbelieving glance of Naruto. "When you're no Inuzuka, you can still ignore your cock's needs or freeze to death under your snow-shower."

Naruto was unsure what to do. He would never jack off with Kiba in the same room! On the other hand, he couldn't deny that the thought of Kiba touching himself had his cock twitching slightly. "Kiba, I…" he began but was interrupted.

"Forget it, Naruto. I know my clan is very blunt and I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"That's not the problem, Kiba. I'm just not sure what to do. I can't stroll through the streets with a boner in my pants. But I can't jerk off when you are over there showering, either. That would be kinda strange!" Naruto blushed.

"Do you want me to stand here?" Kiba hummed. Naruto blushed more. "Maybe you don't want me just to stand? Maybe I should touch you?" the dog-nin continued and entered Naruto's personal bubble once again. As he wasn't pushed back he took another step forward, his breath fanned over the blonds' wet shoulder. "Is that what you want?"

"No…" Naruto whispered, but nodded nonetheless. Something prodded his thigh and his eyes fell on Kiba's hard cock. His breath caught and his azure eyes flew up to Kiba's slit pupils.

"Like I told you – showers have that effect. When you're uncomfortable just say so and I'll go." The brunette said, still just mere inches away from Naruto, his rod still nudging the blonds' thigh.

"No, it's okay, I guess." Naruto whispered. "It is just I have never been with anyone before."

"You mean no one?" Kiba asked curiously. "I thought you were on a journey with the pervy-sage?"

"I was, but it was all about training." Naruto confessed. "Kiba, you're my best friend and I want to be honest with you. I'm totally 'pure', as Jiraiya liked to put it."

"That's great!" Naruto was surprised with the sincere happiness in Kiba's voice. "What do you mean?"

"As I said before – and everyone kinda knows that: The Inuzukas are a pack of dogs in heat. That's no secret. So it's not common for me to know someone who is as innocent as you are."

"Oh… Right, seems so." Naruto said, but wasn't really sure where this would lead to; and if he really wanted what might happen at the end of the road. A small voice in his head mentioned that the nudging on his thigh _was_ wanted. "It sounds a bit strange to talk about innocence, don't you think?"

"You mean because we are both standing here, sporting impressive erections?" Kiba laughed barking. "Or did you think of our jobs as ninjas?"

"Both." Naruto smirked. Suddenly the smirk froze on his lips as he felt two fingers caressing his pubes. "Kiba?"

"Yes, Naruto?" Kiba's face didn't show anything of the sensations his fingers caused in Naruto's brain.

"Uhm. Your. Hand. Uhm…" Kiba brought his fingers to the hot shaft of Naruto's erection; the last 'uhm' was moaned. "Is there a problem?" he asked lecherous. Naruto arching into his touch was answer enough, so the dog-nin got braver.

"Ah! Kiba!" The blond nin felt the strength leave his legs so he gripped the first thing that could help him regain his balance. It was Kiba's cock.

Kiba's groan filled the air around them and echoed back from the tiled walls. Naruto had never heard something that erotic and felt more comfortable with every passing second. "I had never thought this could happen." He confessed with a trembling voice.

Kiba, who had stood still until now, began to slowly thrust his hips into Naruto's grip before he answered. "Me neither, dude. But it feels good!"

It surely did as the two men thrust into the hands of their friend. Naruto was thrilled by the new sensations he experienced. To have his fingers on the pulsing cock of someone else could become one of his favorite hobbies, Naruto thought. Right before eating ramen and after having foreign fingers in his own crotch. "Kib', I…" he groaned and thrust faster.

Kiba knew the signals and began to knead the sensitive orbs in Naruto's sac while the hand on the other's cock began with rotating, pumping motions. "Let it all out, Nar'! Cum!" he growled lowly.

The blonds' thrusts became erratic and his breath got caught as white semen shot out of his dark red head. "Unnnnggggh! Kib'!" He sank down on his knees, his legs not longer able to hold him up.

While the exhausted nin sat under the spray of water Kiba lay hand on himself and made some last strokes before he too spilled his cream. It disappeared with Naruto's in the drain.

As Naruto had recovered his breath he sat up, horror in his eyes. The smiling Kiba lost his toothy grin and cowered in front of his friend. "Nar'? What's wrong?"

"Kiba, I'm sorry! We shouldn't have done that! **I** shouldn't have done that!" the jinchuriki whispered regretfully.

"Wha'?" Kiba was confused. "What **did** you do in the first place?"

"You… We… I… That was wrong! I shouldn't have used you, I'm sorry."

Now Kiba was outright laughing. "Naru', nothing happened! You have said it, dude: We are best friends! What a friend would I be if I wouldn't help a buddy out, right?" The brown haired dog-lover bent forward and hugged his best friend. "I know there are no feelings involved. You know that too, don't you?" Naruto nodded and the brightness in his eyes returned. "There you are! Now get up and let's get out of here. Let's have a drink to celebrate your first third party caused orgasm – my treat!"

"Who says you're responsible for my orgasm?" Naruto chuckled. "Maybe I'm as narcissistic as Sasuke and came just because of me being as hot as I am!"

Kiba let hear his barking laughter and dragged the damp shinobi out of the shower room. "Yeah, right." He deadpanned. "And that you clung to my great cock had nothing to do with it… Admit that you loved to feel my hard flesh begging for your touch!"

He earned a bright grin from Naruto. "Maybe. At least I can admit one thing: You're hot, Kiba. And I'm glad that you are my best friend – thank you!" With that he began to dry himself, but not without stroking Kiba's limp member a last time. "Thank you both."

The young men were still laughing as they exited the gym and headed for a bar in Konoha's center. Naruto was glad that nothing had changed between them; they may have become even closer than before. And Kiba was glad that Naruto has let him help. Not just because Naruto was sexy as hell (Kiba's heart longed for someone else), but because he had been afraid that the long time of separation may have affected their friendship. It hadn't and so two sincerely happy boys went to have a great night. Naruto would crash at Kiba's, so the apartment-problem was recessed. 

############################ 

At the same time as Naruto had reached the gym Kakashi had opened his front door and slipped inside. The riot in his insides hadn't decreased and his state of erection hadn't either.

He went straight into his bathroom and took his clothes off. Every single one of the damp clothes landed in the hamper, even his facemask needed a round in the laundry. As he stood naked in the middle of his bathroom he examined his body. He may have led an unhealthy moral conduct, but he had never neglected his body. He was still buff but not overdone, his form was slender, but toned and he was as fit as a fiddle. His next workout would have to contain a dose of jerking off, but he looked forward to it. In the seclusion of his own apartment he was no longer ashamed of his questionable fantasies containing his own former student and actual teammate.

He stepped under the spray of his shower and savored the warm rivulets on his pale skin. The drops gathered down his abs and flowed round his stiff member and down his scrotum. On the tip of his raging hard-on was a glistering drip of pre-cum. Kakashi brought his finger to his glans and tasted the drip and pictured the shadow of his dream on the lake. But now, this mysterious person had a face; the whiskered face of Uzumaki Naruto.

The Sharingan-wielder closed his eyes and moaned in his empty bathroom. He held his erection in a tight grip and pumped frantically. His nearly aching hard cock produced more of his own lube and Kakashi spread it over his whole length. With the added lube his strokes became even faster and soon his hand was just a blur. "Oh, yes! Naruto! Ungh! Hmmmm!" Kakashi groaned, louder with every passing second. Suddenly a scream erupted his throat and with a growled "'RUTO!" he came. His essence flew against the blue-tiled wall and trickled down.

Kakashi leaned on the wall and waited for his senses to work properly again. After rinsing himself he stopped the water and left the shower.

He entered his living room and sat dripping wet on his couch. The chilly wind that blew through the shattered glass quenched Kakashi's body and his thoughts. _I am sooo fucked up!_

############################ 

_I am sooo fucked up!_ Naruto thought as he settled on Kiba's spare futon; Kiba was in the bathroom to change into his sleeping pants.

"So, bathroom's clear! There's a toothbrush in the cabinet, boxers and sweatpants too. If you want to 'take another shower', be my guest!" He couldn't hold back his snicker.

Naruto threw him a death glare and made his way to the bathroom-door. Then he turned around. "You really think I could 'take a shower' without your hot company?" The fox-vessel roared and shut the door, leaving behind a baffled dog-nin.

As Naruto came back from the toilet, Kiba was buried in his blankets, hiding his half-hard member. Naruto himself had problems not showing his arousal as he climbed under his bedspread. He knew Kiba would be able to smell his state but that didn't mean he had to advertise it.

"'t was just a joke, right?" Kiba whispered from his cushion-castle.

"Sure!" Naruto answered, but continued mumbling. "Well, somehow…"

The dog-nin grinned. "I _am_ an Inuzuka, you know? We come with enhanced sense of smell **and** hearing."

Naruto abstained from blushing and locked his gaze with Kiba's. "You're hot, I'm a perfectly healthy male teen – I'm innocent!"

"Not for long!" Kiba smirked and patted on a spot on his mattress. "Not anymore when I'm ready with you!"

Naruto got up and took the two steps to his friend's bed. He hesitated, but the boy on the bed took over his decision. His hand found its way to the hem of the blonds' sweatpants and he dragged him into his embrace. "No strings attached, right?" Naruto asked.

"No strings attached!" Kiba confirmed. "Just the Inuzuka-way of stress-relief."

"Adopt me!" the jinchuriki smirked and let his hands rest on the broad chest of his best friend. "You're warm."

"I dispute that! A few minutes ago you called me hot!" the brunette growled. With that he pulled his best friend closer and licked his pulse point.

"I stand corrected – you **are** hot!" Naruto moaned and gave in. "Kib'!"

Soon both males sat naked on the bed. Naruto took in the sight of the bulky and muscular form of the Inuzuka in front of him. Wherever his eyes went his fingers followed. The tanned skin was so different from Kakashi's porcelain-ish skin! Kiba had more hair than the copy-nin and it was very becoming to him. The chest was covered in short, brown, fur-like hair, getting thinner on their way to the bellybutton were they became thin path to the curly pubes.

Kiba had closed his eyes. He wanted to give his best friend the time he needed to get known to the male body. It seemed a little odd because Naruto _was_ a man after all, but he knew that it was way more entertaining to play on someone else's body. "Never done something with your shadow clones?" he asked abruptly.

"Well… No. Don't know why. It seemed… strange, you know?" Naruto answered while his fingers explored Kiba's family jewels, hanging heavily under his quickly growing member. "You ever done something with Akamaru in his juujin bunshin-form?" (Beast human clone)

"Ew! No! Akamaru's my partner!"

"You see? A kage bunshin is **me** at the same time not. And it becomes _really_ strange when his memories return to me. Not funny!" It seemed a lot more fun for Naruto as he stroked softly over the soft skin of Kiba's cock. It twitched at the contact. "So this is not so 'ew', is it?" The Uzumaki asked and took the stiff member in a tight grip.

Kiba hissed breathless and enjoyed the shiver running down his spine. "No, isn't! It's 'oohh!' instead of 'ew'!" he stated and arched into the touch. "More!"

"I guess I owe you one, right? You have finished me off in the shower after all. My turn now – if you let me!"

"Why shouldn't I? Have a good romp; 'm all yours!"

Naruto changed his grip and began to spread the lustrous drips oozing from Kiba's tip. The musky smell of their arousal filled the air in the bedroom and just the breathing of the boys and the silent moaning of one of them was audible.

The blond began with slow, sensual moves, taking in every one of Kiba's expressions. The dog-nin had closed his eyes again and sat back against the headboard, his thighs wide open. He presented his best friend with all he had to give, knowing that he didn't have to worry about anything. Naruto would be cautious – and he was. Oh, how cautious he was! "Naruto, I'm not a girl!"

"I definitely see **that**!" he chuckled, eyeing the impressive, pulsing cock in his hand.

"Right. So let me feel that you _understand_ it!"

Never being one to back down from a challenge he sped up his ministrations. At the same time his grip of Kiba's balls tightened and the dog-nin roared approvingly. "That's the spirit!"

The jinchuriki was hypnotized by the reactions he could get out of the Inuzuka. No twitching muscle, no moan and no breath had escaped his notice. "You like that? You like having your best friend jacking you off, right?" he growled.

"Who's the one who's enjoying this, Naru', he? Isn't it you who is hard like a rock while jerking off another man?" Kiba answered, fondling Naruto's stiff member. A loud "Ungh!" escaped Naruto's throat and je bucked into Kiba's hand automatically. "Let's try something else, Naruto. I want to feel more of you!" The terrified look the other gave him confused Kiba for a second before he understood. "No, not _that_! I don't want to fuck you; neither be fucked, for that matter. That isn't included in the Inuzuka-way of stress-relief!" He chuckled. "Just trust me with this."

After a guarded nod he pulled the Uzumaki closer until he straddled his hips. Understanding flashed up in the azure pieces of heaven the blond called his eyes.

Naruto ground his hips down on Kiba's and both moaned simultaneously as their erections touched. The friction promised Elysium and that was where the boys were headed to. Both cocks were oozing a great amount of pre-cum and they soon were covered in the slick mixture of their juices.

Naruto grasped both twitching cocks in his hand and pressed them together. They were united from the base up to the angry glowing tips, Kiba's dick quite a bit bigger than Naruto's, whose member couldn't be called small at all.

"I knew I was bigger!" Kiba cheered.

"Yeah, I see. You're my 'big' hero!" Naruto deadpanned, but didn't stop in his stroking motions that soon regained their attentions. "Your fat cock feels so good on mine!" the blond boy moaned.

"I like it, too." The dog-nin breathed and pulled Naruto even closer. Now their balls were pressed together and their united dicks were caught between their taut abs, still being massaged by Naruto's fingers. The pre-cum covered their skin and both men groaned in unison.

Kiba wriggled his hand between their bodies and began to fondle the orbs in their sacs, repeatedly moaning Naruto's name. He bent forwards and nuzzled the junction between the other's shoulder and neck, softly biting and licking the sweaty skin. He watched out to not leave marks.

Naruto began thrusting his hips into the tight embrace of his fingers as if he was fucking Kiba. The volume of their lustful cries increased and soon both stood on the edge.

After having 'lost' the cock comparison contest, he was determined to take Kiba over the edge before he would allow himself to cum. He changed the grip on the cocks one more time and sped up his strokes. Simultaneously he bent over Kiba and whispered into his ear. "Yeah, dog-breath, you make me so hot. Can you feel the hard cock next to yours? It's hard because of you!" Kiba growled low and tried not to cum right now. "Ungh! You're so hot, Kiba. Kib', I want you to cum now. I want to see you spill your white cum. I want you to cover my face in semen, Kiba! Your semen!"

Kiba couldn't hold back any longer and with an animalistic howl he shot his load. It flew up till it hit the underside of Naruto's chin, then dripped down his tanned chest and combined with their already intermingled sweat. Kiba's tongue shot out and lapped the sensuous mix.

Right as the tongue hit his heated skin, Naruto put his sperm into the mix. An unintelligible scream filled the air and he slumped against Kiba's upper body.

Their breath mingled and the men needed some time before they could separate again.

"Wow! That was… Wow!" Kiba sighed happily. Naruto was equally happy, but something seemed to bother him. "Naruto, what's wrong?"

"Did you try to kiss me? As you licked my chin – did you want to kiss me?"  
>"No offense, but no, I didn't." Kiba stated in an honest tone.<p>

"Good." Naruto looked up and finally Kiba could see the happy light in his eyes. "Because I didn't want you to. I guess it's this Inuzuka-way of stress-relief thing again?"

"Right. Kissing is only for lovers and it should be. Even we dogs know that!" The Inuzuka smirked and scratched his semen-spotted chest. "I'll get us a wussy-boy to clean up and then we sleep, I'd say."

"'Kay!" Naruto nodded. "And, Kiba: You may _be_ longer, but I _last_ longer!"

Both boys laughed and after cleaning up they slept, either one on his respective mattress.

_I'd love to do that with Kakashi!_ was the last thought Naruto had before he fell asleep. 

############################


	3. Chapter 3

Improvement Chapter 3

Naruto felt someone pulling on his left arm. Opening his eyes he saw Kiba, his face an unsettling grimace. "You love the Inuzuka-way of stress-relief, so you come with me!"

Simultaneously there was a drag into the opposite direction. The blonds' eyes met the intense one-eyed glare of Hatake Kakashi. "Let's go to the lake, Naruto-kun. You know you love it!"

Confused Naruto stared from one man to the other. They were nearly tearing him apart and the pain in his shoulders increased until it was nearly unbearable. Tears stung in his eyes, but he was unable to defend himself against the excruciating fight the males had about him.

"Nar', leggo of him! I'm your best friend, I care 'bout you!" Kiba growled low.

At the same time Kakashi began to yell at him. "You don't want to trample Team 7 under your foot! Think of Sasuke! He needs you! Sakura needs you! I need you!"

Naruto wanted to cry. He wanted them to stop, wanted them to know that he _did_ care, that they _were_ his friends and that he needed them too, but his mouth was sealed, his lips didn't part.

Suddenly a blinding light flashed and Sasuke appeared right in front of him, his face only mere inches away from his, his lids closed. "Dobe."

_Teme!_ Naruto couldn't speak, only his eyes showed the conflictive emotions rushing through his brain. He didn't know if he should feel relieved or frightened. The man in front of him radiated killing intent. His aura was dark and dangerous, his angelic face a mask of demonic despair. Just being in his vicinity hurt like hell and the other didn't even touch him.

As he did Naruto's eyes shot open. Raging fire burnt in his veins, his blood was boiling and every cell wanted to burst. He couldn't move, couldn't scream, couldn't free himself from the torture.

Suddenly Sasuke opened his eyes and revealed crimson red orbs with a strange black pattern. Was that…? "The Mangekyou Sharingan!" Naruto managed to breath.

"Hn." And with that the crimson and black eyes blurred and Naruto screamed.

############################

"NARUTO!" The jinchuriki bolted up and looked around in horror, panting heavily. Kiba sat by his side and patted his back. "Shhh! Ev'rythin's right!" he hushed. "'t was just a dream." He observed the trembling form of his best friend and was worried. What dream had managed to rile him up that much?

"Kib'… Hey… Sorry, I…" Naruto panted, the hunted look still in his azure eyes.

"It's okay, Nar'! Calm down. I'll get you a coffee, 'kay?" Kiba stood up. "It is a part of the Inuzuka-way of…"

"Don't finish that sentence!" Naruto yelled and hid under his blankets.

His best friend worried even more. "'Kay, Nar'! I'll get the coffee." He left the trembling blond behind, silently wondering if he would still be there when he returned.

Naruto sat on the futon and slowly managed to return to a normal breathing while his heart was slamming against his ribcage. What was wrong with him? The dream had been that surreal but still it had felt like reality. He still could feel the numb ache of the two Konoha-nin pulling at his arms; but that was nothing against the excruciating agony Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan had caused. It had felt as if the Uchiha had peeled his skin with a blunt kunai.

"Sasuke…" the shocked boy mumbled and rose from the spare bed he had spent the night on.

As Kiba returned he found his bedroom empty. But before he could let out a concerned yell for his friend, the blond opened the bathroom-door and smiled. "Sorry, once again showered without you." He snickered. The only thing that gave away his anxiety was his eyes, but even the last fearful glint in them began to diminish as he smelled the coffee.

"C'mere." Kiba said and patted on the same spot of his bed as he had done last night. Naruto cocked a brow, but the canine-tamer just chuckled. "Hey! Relax fox-boy. The Inuzuka-youknowwhat just happens at night or on special occasions!" The Number One Unpredictable ninja got closer and sank down onto the mattress. Taking a sip of his hot coffee, he turned to his best friend.

"'Kay, Nar' – what was that?" Kiba was no one to beat around the bush.

"It's okay, Kib'. Just forget it." Naruto shrugged. "You know, the usual stuff. Bad childhood, demon inside, nightmares. Nothin' off the beaten track."

"Ya don't expect me to buy that, do ya?" The dog-nin was more than doubtful. "I know your 'usual' nightmares, Nar'. We shared a tent more than once and then you were only whimpering a bit before I could comfort you." He was met by Naruto's open glance. "Talk to me, friend!"

"I don't know if you want to know…" Naruto trailed off. "It was a strange dream and nearly nothing of it makes any sense! I have to think about it before I can tell anyone, sorry."

Kiba nodded sympathetically and returned to rubbing the black-clad back of his best friend. "'kay! Now let's find you an apartment. You can't crash here every day or I'm worn out of the Uzumaki-way of stress-relief in less than a week!" Both boys burst out in laughing.

############################

Kakashi woke up freezing. His blankets lay on the ground next to the bed. _A rather active sleep then…_ Not that he was surprised. His dream had been strange, but he remembered being with Naruto. Sasuke had been there, too, and the Inuzuka-heir. _Strange mix…_

He had tried to rescue the blond fox-vessel from the Uchiha's grip while Kiba had danced cheerleader-style to root for him.

As his throbbing morning wood sprang into his view – sleeping naked didn't help to hide that – Kakashi remembered Naruto's state of clothing, or the lack thereof. It may have been a stupid dream and the presence of Sasuke trying to kill his former teammate was rather disturbing, but the side-effect of seeing the Uzumaki naked had made the vision nearly acceptable.

After a long, relaxing shower and a good breakfast Kakashi's mood began to lighten. He would have to search Naruto and Sakura and apologize for his behavior of the previous day. After that they could have a sparring to regain their exceptional teamwork-abilities.

He left his apartment and headed for the hospital. He was sure he would find the pinkette there.

"Kakashi-sensei." Sakura greeted coldly.

"Sakura, I'm sorry what has happened yesterday." Kakashi began. "I don't know what got into me, but I won't let that happen again." The serious tone in his voice made Sakura look up. "I promise!"

"I believe you." The medic-nin smiled and took the gloved hand of her sensei. "Now let's find our fox!"

They found him in the busy streets of Konoha. Naruto stood there with Kiba and Lee, talking and smiling all the time. "Hey, Naruto!"

"Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei!" he greeted bouncing on his feet. "You'll never guess what happened!" When none of them even tried to guess, the energetic jinchuriki shrugged and went on. "Lee and Kiba helped me find a new apartment for me. And, guess what: It's my old apartment!"

Sakura stared disbelieving. "That little hole you called a flat back then?"

"Hey, Sakura-chan! That's hardly fair!" Naruto pouted. "I lived there nearly my entire life and I liked it there."

Kakashi's visible eye gave away his amusement. What no one saw was the longing glance he gave the pouting lips of his blond wet dream. "That's great, Naruto. So, when will you move in?"

"Actually, I already did. It isn't as I had that much to take there." The fox-vessel grinned. "Right now I wanted to get some furniture and such; Kiba and Lee promised to help me. Do you want to come along?"

The Hatake nodded happily while the pinkette was lost in her own thoughts.

_When I help I may see Naruto topless. He was an eye-candy as we were genin – what would he look like nowadays?_ She thought back to the days as she only had eyes for their black-haired teammate. _I was such a fool, wasn't I?_ In the end she found to a decision.

"Sorry, Naruto, but if you aren't angry I will head back to the hospital. My abilities are a better use there and as I see you already have three strong men to help you." _It wouldn't help at all if every one of them would take off their shirts and I would die of blood-loss when all the muscles take their effect on me_. Sakura sighed. "See ya later!"

############################

Naruto was sincerely surprised how much space his little apartment had. Without all the ramen-boxes, the dirty laundry and scrolls all over the place, it wasn't nearly as little as he had thought. He would have to remember that, so it wouldn't become as chaotic and cramped as it had been when he lived here six years ago.

The landlord smiled at him and handed him the keys to his new kingdom. "I'm glad to have you back, Naruto-san. Call me a melancholic, but I didn't rent this apartment out to anybody. I liked to have you here and it's always good to be on the good side of the future Hokage, isn't it?"

"It surely is!" Naruto smiled and hugged the older man. "Home sweet home!"

Kiba and Lee had left earlier, after they had helped carrying the heavy boxes into the flat. Now it was just Kakashi and Naruto and both radiated an excited aura.

Naruto couldn't wait to assemble his furniture while Kakashi was more excited about the bronze skin, glistering from myriads of tiny beads of sweat.

"So, Naruto. Where do you want to start?"

Actually he wanted to start with getting rid of his black shirt which clung to his damp skin. But the memories of the dream and the events of the day at the lake stopped him from doing that. "The bed, perhaps?"

He missed the mischievous glint in Kakashi's eye. "Okay, the bed it is!" Without further thoughts he ripped the paper away and revealed the pieces of the furniture.

They were done with half of the cardboard boxes as the temperature in the room became unbearable. Naruto couldn't wait any longer – he gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. At first, Kakashi didn't even notice the change. He was too distracted by the complicated manual splayed in front of him. Only when a sweat-damp shoulder brushed against his arm he looked up and nearly began drooling.

Small rivulets of sweat had sketched a beautiful pattern on the even more beautiful bronze-colored skin. The movements of taut muscles under the velvety-soft skin made the small beads sparkle in the setting sunlight that fell in through the opened window. Kakashi was captivated, unable to move a single muscle, only staring at the display of god-like beauty and wild virility.

Naruto brushed away some strands of his hair that hung into his eyes as he registered that Kakashi wasn't working anymore. Looking up his eyes fell onto his sensei's eye and their glances locked for a short second. A shiver ran down Naruto's spine and goose bumps were following soon after.

But before one of them could say anything the door opened and Sakura dashed in, a tray with sandwiches and drinks in her hand. "Look what Auntie Sakura has made for you!" she chirped before her eyes caught the situation. What she saw were her sensei in his usual, cool behavior and Konoha's noisy ninja Number one. But she hadn't seen him in **this** state before!

_Is that Naruto? I can't believe how **hot** he is! I have to tell Ino._ And before she could wonder why she didn't stay to relish in the sight of the Adonis-like male in front of her she took a picture and headed off to her best friend and eternal rival.

Kakashi and Naruto awakened from their paralysis, Naruto even rubbed his eyes. "What was **that**?" he mumbled and didn't know for himself what exactly he referred to.

"I don't know, but it left the sandwiches behind. Want some?" Kakashi asked relieved that the strange situation had passed by without causing any harm. He still wasn't sure what he should think of his feelings for his student.

Well, he wasn't the twelve year old kid anymore; he had grown up and definitely filled out. But he still saw him as his student. Perhaps he should have a talk with Anko? He knew for a fact that Anko had had several affaires with some of her students.

############################

"Inoooo!" Sakura nothing but yelled.

"What?" came the angry reply out of the Yamanaka's flower-shop.

"You won't believe what I just saw!"

"Then save your breath and go home." The blonde grumbled, but came out to her friend nonetheless. "So, what exactly DID you see?"

While searching for her camera the pink-haired kunoichi explained. "You still remember Sasuke, right?"

"How could I not?" A dreamy expression crept over Ino's face.

"Yeah… I've decided he's all yours."

That brought the blonde's attention back. "I have Chouji, you know that! But I'm still allowed to dream, right? But that aside – what do you mean with 'he's all mine'?"

Sakura had found her camera, sifted the taken pictures and stopped at the last one she had shot. "Look at **that**!"

The expressions on Ino's face were priceless. At first she paled, than she blushed, paled again and her eyes popped out of her head. "Is that Naruto?"

"He surely is!" Sakura stated and took a look at the picture. "He came back a few days ago and look at what he became!" Both girls were literally drooling.

"Sasuke? Who would that be? Never heard of him…" they giggled in unison and drooled some more.

############################

An appreciative smile grew on Naruto's whiskered features as he looked at his furnished apartment. "A great improvement, Kakashi-sensei!"

"You're right – definitely improved!" Kakashi agreed, but his eyes lay on the muscular form next to him. "I'll leave you to your new flat now, Naruto. I'm sure you want to take a shower and relax. We'll see us tomorrow. Meet me at the training grounds at eight!"

Naruto nodded and accompanied his sensei to the door. "See ya, sensei!"

After the door had closed behind him and he heard the distant noise of running water, Kakashi fell against the wooden door and hit his head against it. _Where is your detached behavior when you need it?_

He set his plan into motion and went to the academy, searching for Anko. He had to ask some discreet questions; that was for sure.

############################

"Don't tell me you fell for someone, Kakashi!" Anko teased. "And I hoped you would choose me – I'd really love to take a peek behind that mask of yours!"

"Please, Anko. I'm serious; could you at least **try** to take this serious, too?"

"Alright, Hatake. I'm sorry." The leering grin left her features. "Who is it you set your eye on?"

"You don't expect me to answer that, do you?" Kakashi growled.

"Right, right! I understand, no names. But I take it we're not talking about one of our fellow jonin, do we?"

"You take that right." He sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I managed so well all my life. I wasn't lonely – I've had my fair share of sex. You know that!"

"I surely do!" The leer was back, but just for a second. "But you're wrong in one point. You **w****ere** lonely, Kakashi, and you know that. It isn't all about sex; you need someone who's near you, even when you both are dressed." The grey-haired man sighed again. "And now it comes that you chose the one you want to have and the person isn't who you expected it to be?"

"Yepp. He is probably the most inappropriate choice I could have made."

"Is it because it's a _he_?" Anko couldn't believe the reason would be that simple. "As a shinobi you know how we take that! You never know what your last mission will be so you take what or who you can get and are happy."

"It's not that easy, Anko." Kakashi explained. "I've had men before. My problem is: He's a boy."

"You fell in love with a child?" The disgust in the snake-summoner was unmistakable.

"NO! I didn't! He's eighteen!"

"So he isn't a kid anymore, Kakashi. I still don't see your point."

"In my eyes he's still a kid. I saw him grow up, you know? I saw how the village has treated him, how they hated him and how he became one of the most powerful genin we ever had. And now he is even stronger." Kakashi's eyes filled with pride.

"Oh gods, no!" Anko knew who he was talking about. "You fell in love with the Uzumaki-kid."

"Yes…" The tone in the man's voice was miserable.

############################

Naruto was busy. He prepared invitations for his party. He wanted to have his friends around to celebrate his return to Konoha, the revival of his old team and his re-move-in into his old apartment. While he wrote the little cards some shadow clones were in the kitchen and prepared some snacks for the evening while others were in the village to buy the last things he would need; mainly booze.

He hadn't bothered with cleaning the whole flat after having moved in just today. He saw no point in having all the trouble when he would have to redo it in the morning. So he left the kage bunshins to their business and strolled through Konoha, handing over the invitations to his friends.

After a few hours his little apartment filled with his important persons. Every place was crowded and they all had a good time. Music sounded off the speakers, some people were dancing and the buffet was a crowd-pleaser.

"Naruto, where did you get all this great food?" Chouji asked curiously and Naruto flashed him a bright smile.

"Made it all by myself!" he answered and enjoyed the disbelieving glare. "Honestly! I'm flattered you like it. That's like the biggest compliment a chef can get!"

Chouji chuckled and returned to his blonde fiancée, still chewing.

Kiba appeared on Naruto's side, two filled cups of sake in his hands. "Cheers, buddy!" They clinked glasses and downed the booze in one big gulp. "I take it you won't need a stress-reliever tonight?"

"I don't think so." Naruto answered grinning. "I assume you are going for another prey, Kiba?"

The slit pupils shot to his face. "Is it that obvious?"

"Just for your best friend!" the blond assured and nodded in the direction of Nara Shikamaru. "Go fetch!" Kiba shook his hips as to waggle an imaginary tail and strolled over to the shadow-user. Naruto laughed at the action and patted his friend on the shoulder.

There were the strangest pairings all over the place and no one was standing separated. No one but Naruto, that is. He didn't find the time to talk with someone particular. He tried to talk to everyone and made sure there was enough food and that everyone knew where to find the drinks.

"Would you please sit down?" Shino took hold of his wrist and pulled him into the cushions of his new couch. Next to him was Neji, holding hands with him. Naruto looked slightly confused.

"Public DOA, guys? Really?" They chuckled, turned to one another and shared a deep kiss that doesn't seem to bother anyone in the room. Only Naruto's mouth was gaping wide open. Then he smiled his trademark smile and left the suddenly busy couple.

He remembered his time with Sasuke. The Uchiha might have been his first real crush and he had been let down in the worst of all ways. Naruto had realized his crush for Sakura had never been something serious, it was just something everyone had expected of him. But the feelings for the raven had been different, deeper. He knew where this had led to so he tried not to think too much about the avenger. He still planned to bring him back; he was his friend after all.

Kakashi stood in the living room, deep in conversation with his green-clad best friend Might Gai. The man babbled about him being glad to have Kakashi back and that the youthful spirit had won over the dark times the Sharingan-user had been through. The words were ridiculous, but their meaning warmed Kakashi's soul.

From the corner of his eye he saw Naruto standing beside the kissing Hyuuga-Aburame-couple, a dark expression on his normally sunny features. "Gai, I'm glad too. But would you excuse me for a sec?"

"Yes, you go. I just spotted Lee and have to talk to him!"

"Yo, Naruto. What about that long face?"

"Hm? Oh, Kakashi-sensei. It's nothing; just some thoughts, you know?" Naruto said and tried to hide his eyes behind his blond hair that fell over his forehead. "Now let's get you a drink!"

"You sure about that?" the jonin grinned. "It was a joke, 'Ruto, so calm down!"

A pleasant jolt ran through Naruto's gut at the nickname but he managed to hide it. "'s okay, I'll get me one, too." Kakashi followed him through the crowd and into the kitchen. The host refilled two cups of sake and turned to his sensei. "Skoal!"

They drank in silence until Sakura interrupted their togetherness once again, this time with Ino in tow. "Kakashi-sensei! Naruto-kun! Why don't you join us on the dance floor? And maybe we could convince you to do a little strip tease?" Two pairs of shocked eyes met Sakura. "Just a suggestion! Genma is already into it; the last thing I saw disappearing was his bandana."

"Genma never removes his bandana!" Naruto stated and craned his neck to get a better look into his living room. What he saw there caught his breath. "Kakashi-sensei! His head is NAKED!"

The two males pushed past the two kunoichi and entered the crowded room. Genma got a hold on Naruto's wrist and pulled him close to his body and ground against the blond fox-vessel. The crowd cheered and whistled.

Everything went silent as Naruto began to grind back against the other male. His hips swayed with the beat of the music and he got lost in the beat.

One sense after the other shut down until Naruto could only feel the music in his blood. His body moved all on its own. Swaying his hips, turning around, grinding and clapping he forgot every dark thought he may have had.

While he was dancing his guests couldn't take their eyes of their host. None of them had seen the jinchuriki that absorbed and oblivious. As Naruto began to get rid of his button up shirt the catcalling began again. Both males and females were whistling and clapping, hoping for the show to continue.

Kakashi observed Naruto's fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt and decided he could give in to his needs; even just a little bit. Anko's words rang through his head. _You take what or who you can get and are happy._

Stepping into Naruto's personal bubble he accommodated to the jinchuriki's tact and pressed his hips against the swaying rear in front of him.

Disbelieving susurrus whispered through the air, but was totally ignored by the dancing men. Kakashi had closed his eye and was lost in the friction of Naruto's heat radiating body on his. As Naruto rocked back into Kakashi's embrace, he forgot everything around him and relished in the feeling of this particular man that close to him.

_Sometime soon I will have to kill that pink-haired annoyance!_ Kakashi thought as Sakura entered his little piece of shared heaven and bumped against him.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I just wanted to dance with Lee-kun and didn't see you there!" she said, the lie highly visible in her whole stance. The cold tone of her voice broke the magical moment Naruto was in and the situation sank in.

"Huh?" he asked confused. "What's wrong?" He rubbed his eyes as if he had woken up just seconds ago and the cute gesture warmed several hearts of the surrounding audience. Then Naruto realized his shirt was unbuttoned and he quickly turned away from his friends to get dressed properly. After a few seconds he felt respectable again and flashed his audience one of his blinding bright smiles, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry for that!" He called. "I kinda got lost. Won't happen again."

"What a bummer!" A voice vocalized what some others only had thought.

"Baa-chan!" Naruto yelled and literally flew over to the Hokage. "I'm glad you could make it!"

"And I'm glad I made it just in time." Tsunade grinned and took a cup of sake from a tray on the coffee table. "It was quite a show you did over there!"

"Yeah…!" the blond blushed. "I kinda got lost in the moment."

"And you didn't seem to be the only one." The sannin oracled and patted her favorite brat's shoulder, nodding in the direction of the brooding Kakashi. "Go, cheer up your guest, brat. There's no time for brooding tonight!"

Naruto looked in the motioned direction and saw his sensei on the dance floor. "What does he do on the dance floor?"

"What do you think someone does there? He danced with you. And pretty hot that is, if I may say this." Tsunade saw the confusion on the jinchuriki's features and hustled him to the grey-haired man. "Now go and rescue him. If you wait any longer Sakura might be able to emasculate him!"

Naruto rushed over to Kakashi.

"Oi, Sensei!" A nice baritone reached his ears and pulled him out of his brooding.

"Oh, Naruto-kun. How can I help you?"

"I came to help **you**! You may want to bring some distance between you and our favorite pinkette. Tsunade said something about emasculating…" Naruto beamed from ear to ear as gloved hands flew to the man's crotch. A vividly image of a nearly undressed Kakashi flashed through his mind. The young man shook his head. _No! Not in that direction, bad mind!_ He wasn't ready for another round of the Inuzuka-way of stress-relief. And a quick glance to Kiba and Shikamaru showed him that there may be another one of the Rookie 9 who would be introduced to Kiba's private parts. And if he could tell from the looks in their eyes that would involve passionate kisses, too. He was happy for them. Maybe, he would find that significant other someday, too.

"Seems like the marriage market thins out, Naruto-kun." Kakashi resumed the conversation from a few days earlier.

"Maybe you're right, sensei." Naruto nodded. "On the other hand: Neither Shikamaru nor Kiba are suitable for me and vice versa. Just imagine what a relationship would look like? For Shikamaru I would be too troublesome and with Kiba I would probably be the death sentence for our village. No, they'd be the perfect match for each other. Kiba can loosen Shika up and Shika could use his shadows as a collar for Kiba." He laughed.

"Point taken!" Kakashi chuckled and threw his arm around Naruto's neck. "Maybe we should become an item." He was still chuckling, but in the back of his mind he registered every single one of Naruto's reactions.

"Yeah, right! As if you could endure being stuck with me!" the blond chortled.

"I'd try my very best." The older man stated in a serious voice but let the topic rest for a while. It didn't go unnoticed that Naruto had leaned into his supporting arm and a warm, fuzzy feeling filled his gut.

"Watch out!" someone yelled but it was too late. A pink blur filled Naruto's field of vision and he found himself with a chest full of Sakura. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I don't know how I could drop you!" Lee apologized confused.

"It's okay, Lee. Naruto managed to catch me." She said with a malicious glint in her eyes. A glint that only Naruto saw.

"Sakura-chan, may I have a word?" He asked politely and led her into his bedroom where they would be uninterrupted. She followed him happily and confident of victory.

After the door closed behind them Sakura stepped closer to Naruto, her breath fanning over his heated skin. "What is it that you want to talk about, Naruto?"

"About your behavior, Sakura!" he said in a reserved tone. He took a step away from her overwhelming personality. "I'm not happy with what you are doing." Sakura looked confused. "I thought you had a crush on Sasuke all the time?"

"And I thought that you had a crush on **me**!" she whispered seductively.

"I once thought that too, Sakura. But I moved on and so should you, now."

"But I did! I **did** move on and found you." The kunoichi whined with tearful eyes.

"I don't know what got into you, Sakura, but you're not yourself."

"I want **you** to get into me!" The pinkette purred blunt. "I want your hot body all over me, want to feel you moving inside of me. I want to feel your muscles under that bronze-colored skin, your breath on my breasts and your cock in my pussy!" Her speech was slurred from too much booze and so was her choice in words.

"Sakura, you're drunk." Naruto hoped he was right. He wouldn't be able to work with her again if she meant what she had said. "Let Lee take you home and then take tomorrow off. I will forget what happened tonight and so should you. As I said earlier: I have moved on; you better do the same. I don't want to lose you! Neither as a teammate, nor as a friend."

He dodged her poorly aimed blow and exited the room as the first sobs shook her slender frame.

"Lee, you should take Sakura home; she is in the bedroom." Naruto said, his voice flat and cheerless. The green-clad man nodded and, with an apologetic smile, left the party with a still sobbing Sakura over his shoulder.

"What was that?" Neji asked from his side and Naruto turned.

"Sakura had too much sake and said things she didn't mean to." The whiskered nin said and fought a faked grin on his face. "I told your teammate to take her home. Who knows? Maybe we have two new couples when the sun rises!"

Shino lifted his head of Neji's lap where he had dozed and blinked behind his shades. "Lee surely needs to get laid!" he yawned. "As do I." He nuzzled his boyfriend's neck and licked about his Adam's apple. "Message received?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto! It was a great party but we are tired and have to get home!" the Byakugan-wielder rattled on and dragged the Aburame-heir out of the door.

More and more guests took their leave. Kakashi considered staying for the night but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do nor did he know how he should ask properly. So he left with Tsunade after reminding Naruto of their scheduled training the next day. "But let's say ten instead of eight!"

Naruto grinned and waved a hand as his last guests left his apartment.

Said apartment was surprisingly clean, regarding the mass of people that had been there just a few minutes ago. Naruto summoned some kage bunshins to clean the living room and the kitchen and headed for his bed. He was sound asleep before his head hit the cushions.

############################

The next morning greeted him with a blue sky and the happy chirp of the birds.

After his morning routine Naruto dressed and went out to have his breakfast at Ichiraku's. There was nothing better than ramen in the morning. Or in every other time of the day.

At the same time Kakashi was awake, too. He was dying to spar with Naruto; especially since Sakura wouldn't be there to interrupt them again. He had sent Pakkun after her and Lee as they had left the party and from what the ninken had told him he was fairly sure the pinkette wouldn't leave her bed today. Not with Lee as her playmate.

A devilish grin crept over his unmasked face.

Naruto and Kakashi met at the training grounds exactly at ten o'clock. "I'm impressed, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called.

"What?" Kakashi answered. "I owe you one because of that thing at the bar." _And I wouldn't miss a single minute with you._

"If you put it that way…" the blond said and stood relaxed. Or so it seemed, but Kakashi registered that the other didn't let his guard down.

_You surely grew up, Naruto. Your improvement is impressive!_ Kakashi dashed towards the orange-loving shinobi, faster as the eye could follow. Naruto managed to block the blow and the sparring began.

Several hours and much more skin-contacts than necessary later, the both man sank onto the ground.

"That was… exhausting!" Naruto panted heavily.

"That's for sure!" the other man confirmed and lay down on the grass; stretching his extremities. "I'm proud of the level you achieved, Naruto."

"And I'm impressed that you're able to put up with me, old man!" Naruto chuckled. The chuckling caught on its way as Kakashi suddenly straddled his hips and a kunai was pressed against his throat.

"I'd say I surpass you, brat!"

Naruto 'poofed' into non-existence and Kakashi found himself tackled in the dust, a heavy weight pinning his body to the ground. "I doubt that, _sensei_." the whiskered boy breathed into his ear and steadied his position on top of him.

Kakashi still had some energy reserves he could use, but the groin of his student grinding into his ass felt too good to struggle. A nearly inaudible moan escaped the older man's body.

Naruto sat in a tree nearby and watched his clone and Kakashi bickering playfully. He wondered what they talked about but knew he would learn about it when his bunshin vanished. What was exactly what he did as Kakashi appeared on his back, whispering something in his ear.

The second the clone disappeared Naruto tackled his sensei and pinned him down. "I doubt that, _sensei_."

His half erect cock – a good sparring had that effect on him – seemed to meddle into the crack of Kakashi's firm buttocks and felt comfortable the second it settled. The silent moan erupting from the body beneath him startled the younger man and he forgot what his opponent was capable of.

"Never underestimate Sharingan no Kakashi!" the grey-haired ninja whispered as he turned their positions and ended on top of Naruto.

The boy's chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths. His musky smell surrounded the fighting men and intoxicated Kakashi's mind. His masked face hovered over the panting fox and didn't move, his Sharingan recording every second of their encounter in slow-motion.

Naruto looked up into the mismatched eyes of his sensei and saw his own reflection in them. Panting, sweaty and with shining eyes. He couldn't help but lift his head, decreasing the distance between their faces. "'Kashi?" His voice was barely above a husky whisper.

"'Ruto."

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	4. Chapter 4

Improvement Chapter 4

"'Kashi?" His voice was barely above a husky whisper.

"'Ruto."

"Hatake Kakashi!"

_The gods have to hate me!_ A dark rumble vibrated through Kakashi's chest as he turned his head. "What?"

"The Hokage wishes to see you." A masked ANBU informed, visibly shuddering under Kakashi's glare.

The rumble in the grey-haired jonin grew louder as he stood up and straightened his uniform, his hitai-ate covering his Sharingan again. "I'm on my way." With an apologetic look to his teammate he took off.

Naruto lay on the ground, thunderstruck. _What had that been?_ He had a lot of thinking to do… All that was left from Kakashi was a small hint of his scent – sweat, musk, sandalwood and freshly fallen snow.

His feet led their way through the streets of Konoha, without a destination. In his head the thoughts spun around and one question after another popped up. It wasn't the fact that he had had an erection after the training; the friction of the clothing, the skin-contact with the opponent, the adrenaline rushing through his system – he had a boner in nearly every training session. That's why he chose his wide, orange sweat pants in the first place!

But that feeling of belonging to someone; the urgent wish of feeling someone accepting him, _wanting_ him was unknown. His whole life had been a single hiding from those who hated him for reasons he didn't know until he had become a genin. The villagers had stared at him like he was a dangerous, wild monster and the other ninjas had been even worse. When they talked about him behind their hands, followed him everywhere.

############################

It hadn't taken long for him to sense the ANBU that observed him every single day, hidden in the trees, on the rooftops or behind the next wall.

In the age of five it was the first time he felt as being watched. Not knowing what he was searching for he took a look around but didn't notice anything strange. Just the usual hating glares of the people around him.

Then, a few years later – it had been his seventh birthday – the feeling had gotten stronger. He was on his way to Ichiraku's, the only place in Konoha where he could get a sincere smile. The ramen was a nice side-effect. When he rounded the corner into the busy market-street where the shop was, he felt a tingle in his neck. He turned around in a second, his blond mane swirling around his head, but all he could see was a shadow vanishing behind a house. Naruto was alerted and took in his surroundings from that day on. More and more of those incidents occurred and his mood sank to an all time low. Wasn't there one single person in this village that liked him or even just _didn't_ hate him?

The older he became, the more he registered the signs of secret observers. But the first time he actually saw one of those was a rather unpleasant accident.

Some villagers were after him, shouting and raging. One of the men got hold of him and punched him to the ground. Naruto's head hit the street and he saw stars as the pain exploded behind his eyes. The other people reached him and hit the blond crouched boy again and again, some of them even kicked every spot they could reach. Naruto sobbed and cried silent tears, wishing he could be anywhere else but in this town where every single man and woman seemed to wish him dead.

The small figure felt his rips crack under the kicks and blood dripped over his face, building a puddle under his body, meddling with the still falling tears.

He wished to be dead. May the villager's wish be granted – he had nothing to live for and they were so determined to kill him. Maybe it was for the better if he just let go, let go of the miserable existence he led. Naruto wouldn't have to suffer anymore and the village could live in peace without the monster in their middle.

As darkness crept over him from the corner of his eyes he saw a new person appearing in the crowd of raging villagers. In a second the men flew against the walls surrounding the backyard and a dulled voice sounded from the wolf-mask.

"What do you think you are doing here?"

"That _thing_ has killed the chicken of Honoke-san!" one of the villagers said angrily.

"Pardon me? What brings you to this conclusion, Tasaki-san?" the masked man's calm voice asked.

"Who else could have done it? He's a fox after all, and foxes kill chickens!"

"I can't believe you're thinking that! Be assured the Sandaime will hear about this!" Without another word he crouched down to Naruto, pulled him into his arms and took off.

The last thing Naruto registered was the scent the man radiated – a mix of weapon-oil and leather from the uniform, but the man's own scent was dominating, consisting of sandalwood and the smell of freshly fallen snow – for Naruto it was the smell of life itself; then the darkness pulled him into unconsciousness.

############################

"Hokage-sama." Kakashi stood in front of Tsunade's desk and was fuming.

"Kakashi. I have a mission for you." Tsunade ignored the killing intent radiating from her subordinate. "You have to go immediately."

"But my team isn't complete! You know Sakura's state after the incident yesterday."

"I know, Kakashi. But that doesn't affect this mission – you are going alone."

"No."

Tsunade raised her glance from the papers in front of her, locking with Kakashi. "No?" A honey-colored eyebrow twitched.

"No." Kakashi deadpanned. "I didn't reinstall Team 7 to go on a mission without them!"

The Hokage shifted behind her desk, her fists trembling on the wooden surface. "First: It was ME who reinstalled Team 7! Second: It's ME who gives orders and YOU who takes them! Iruka will hand you the details – dismissed!" The tone in her voice was final. Kakashi turned and left without a word.

After the door slammed Tsunade sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Kakashi, but I can't let Naruto go with you. He wouldn't understand."

Kakashi entered the mission-office. "Yo." Only a few people would have registered his bad mood; and bad it was!

One of those people sat behind one of the desks in the room and rounded his table, heading for the grey-haired man in the door. "Kakashi!" Iruka whispered and pulled him into a tight embrace.

The copy-nin stood still, not moving an inch. His face showed surprise and a hint of ease. "Thank you, Iruka." He whispered into the chunin's ear and returned the hug. After a few seconds the men separated and Iruka led his friend to his desk. The other people in the office returned to their own business.

"What's that mission the Hokage insists to put me through?" Kakashi hissed.

Instead of answering Iruka turned around and took his vest. "I'll tell you at your house. Let's go!"

They sat in Kakashi's kitchen and Iruka splayed the roll on his kitchen-table. "You have to find Uchiha Sasuke."

"I have to WHAT?" The grey-haired jonin nothing but screamed.

His guest pointed onto a map on the table. "We have got information that Sasuke had showed up near Konoha. The last time someone saw him it was a few days away from the gates and he might be even closer by now." Iruka searched Kakashi's eye. "The Hokage thinks he is after Naruto. It can't be a coincident that he is here a few days after Naruto's return to Konoha."

Kakashi paled even more and panic showed in his visible eye. "Naruto…"

"Hai. And that's why you have to go today and why you can't take your team with you."

"I see. But what will I tell him?"

"Nothing. He's at Tsunade-sama right now, receiving his own mission."

"And what will I do when I find that Uchiha?" Kakashi's tone was professional. "Kill him?"

"Arrest him if possible, kill him if necessary; but your principal purpose is to make sure he doesn't infiltrate the village." Iruka's tone became more serious, if this was even possible. "The safety of the village depends on you, Kakashi. And Naruto's life as well."

After the chunin had left his apartment, Kakashi went into his bedroom and opened a drawer he thought he would never have to open again. On top of his ANBU-uniform his wolf-mask greeted him.

############################

"Naruto, listen to me!" Tsunade became impatient.

The blond boy fidgeted and a guilty look crossed his handsome, whiskered features. "Sorry, baa-chan, I'm kinda distracted."

"What you don't say." The busty woman deadpanned and sighed. "Naruto, as you know Sakura is a jonin and Kakashi is an ANBU-captain, but you're still a genin officially and to be able to send you on high-ranked missions with your team I have to change that." That gained her the attention of her favorite brat.

"I know… But I couldn't pass the chunin-exams being away with Jiraiya, could I?" The whiskered boy's voice was unusually low and depressed.

"No, you couldn't. And seeing as the next exams are not until next year we have to find another way." Tsunade noticed the frustration radiating from the young man in front of her. "Hey, little one. I'm the Hokage! Don't you think I had already thought of a solution for that?"

Sky-blue eyes lighted up with hope and the sun returned into her rightful place in Naruto's face. "You have?"

"Yes, I have. And that's exactly why you're here. I will send you on a mission to Sunagakure." A smile graced her face as she saw the happiness on Naruto's lips. "Yes, you will meet Gaara. You'll take Tenten with you and you will get a scroll from the Kazekage."

"And that will solve my little 'problem'?" The jinchuriki's voice was doubtful.

"Let me worry about that."

Honestly smiling Naruto hugged the surprised Tsunade and headed for the mission-office.

Whistling he entered the room. Genma waved him over and handed him two scrolls, one with a seal. "Meet Tenten at the gates, she's waiting for you." With that he was dismissed.

"There you are!" the petite kunoichi called and hugged Naruto. "It was about time we got a mission together."

"It surely was!" Naruto smiled and handed Tenten both scrolls.

"Why didn't you read our mission-scroll?" The girl was surprised, all the more as she heard the explanation.

"You're higher-ranked so you are the team leader. I don't plan to disrespect the command structure."

The ninja-weapon-addicted woman laughed. "Naruto, you surely grew up. Let's go!"

After a few days of traveling the giant rock wall surrounding the Village hidden in the Sand came in sight. Both shinobi sighed in relief and sped up. "Finally!"

Dusty and sweaty the Konoha-nins stood in front of the Kazekage's desk. "Kazekage-sama, Temari-sama, Kankuro-sama."

"Oh please! Naruto, stop that formal 'sama-thing' and come over here!" Temari called and tried to hug the blond man.

"Temari, stop!" Gaara's voice cut through the silent air. Then he addressed Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto. I take it you have something for me?"

A nonexistent brow rose as Tenten took a step forward and handed him the sealed scroll. "Or _you_ have something for me, Tenten." A rare smile tucked on the redhead's lips. Breaking the seal he read the scroll and finally the smile managed to take over his mouth. "I see…"

Naruto fidgeted in his spot. As Temari and Kankuro bent over the shoulder of their sibling to study the scroll, silently grinning, it got to his nerves. "WHAT?"

Four pairs of eyes watched him silently; one relieved of seeing the Knucklehead ninja back to his old behavior, three knowing and grinning even more.

"You are dismissed." Gaara said in a calm tone. "Kankuro will take you to your rooms where you can rest. In the meantime I will prepare the answer for Hokage-sama."

Naruto couldn't believe his ears. Why didn't anyone tell him what this was all about?

Kankuro stepped over to him and pulled on his sleeve. "Come, Naruto, I'll take you to the hot springs."

The two Konoha-nins followed the puppet master out of the office and through the corridors of the Kazekage-mansion. "Kankuro, would you please, **please** tell me what stood in that scroll?"

"No, Naruto, I won't. But I'm proud you didn't read it on your way here. It's almost as if you were a real shinobi who knows how to behave." He snickered.

Naruto brooded and kept silent.

They reached the guest-quarters and the sand-sibling gave him the directions to the promised hot springs. "I'll stay with Tenten. We have… uhm… some things to discuss."

A knowing glint flashed in Naruto's eyes and he turned into the stated direction. "I'm sure you have."

############################

Kakashi dashed through the trees, his ninken scouting the surroundings. The Uchiha-heir must be in the vicinity, he could feel his restrained chakra. He was silently wondering what had stopped the missing-nin from attacking him until now, but he was thankful for every hour he could spend planning on how to approach the other man.

"Kakashi!" Pakkun appeared by his side.

"I see." In the next second the ANBU stood with his back to a tree, his hands in fighting stance.

"Sharingan no Kakashi. I feel flattered!" The voice snorted. "They have to be really afraid of me."

"No." Kakashi snapped at the air around him. "It's a hobby of mine to hunt down traitors. Traitors that once held my sympathy until they betrayed everything they had."

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei. You don't mean that!" Sasuke chuckled devilishly out of the shadows. "I 'held your sympathy'? How… pathetic!" In a flash he appeared in the middle of the clearing, seemingly relaxed, but his Sharingan was activated and he scanned the grey-haired man in front of him. "You look good. The last time I saw you you were a drunken dog, not knowing where his place is. Well, you _still_ don't know your place, but I'll show you soon."

Without a warning he dashed forwards, his sword unsheathed and aiming for Kakashi's head.

The grey-haired man dodged the strike and reappeared right behind the raven, effectively pinning down Sasuke against the tree. "You're slow, Sasuke-kun." He mocked. "I didn't even need my Sharingan to dodge this." He 'poofed' into a cloud of smoke as a Chidori slammed through his ribs and the ribs of the shinobi pinned against the tree.

And once again Kakashi was glad he had trained with Naruto, who had used exactly that tactic against him in their sparring-matches. "Don't you forget, Sasuke: **I** was the one who taught you that jutsu. And I trained the ninja you copied the kage bunshin no jutsu from."

A grunted "Hn." gave away the position of his opponent and the jonin motioned his dogs to aim for that spot.

"Argh! Get off me!"

Kakashi chuckled as he walked to Sasuke, who was captured by his nin-dogs, unable to move a muscle without having them biting his limbs. "We both know I will not kill you, Sasuke. What reasons there are for doesn't matter, I just won't. But don't you dare thinking I couldn't! If necessary, I will cut your throat with that fancy sword of yours." He rummaged in his bag and returned his hand with the newest edition of the Icha Icha novels.

Sasuke's blood boiled. "Kakashi! Look at me! Don't **you** dare underestimate me!" Blue sparks emitted from his skin as an armor of lightning enclosed his body. The pained whimpering of the ninken in his vicinity filled the air, accompanied by the crackling sounds of his Chidori Nagashi (Chidori current).

"I wouldn't. At least you _are_ an Uchiha!"

"With that you're right." Reopening his eyes Sasuke revealed his Mangekyou Sharingan. "What, not impressed?" He mocked his opponent.

"Not a bit." With that Kakashi pulled on his hitai-ate and focused his mismatched eyes on the raven-haired missing-nin.

"Your Sharingan stands no chance against my Mangekyou!" The Uchiha yelled laughing crazily.

"Maybe yes, maybe no. What about we try it?"

The ninja's movements were faster than the eye could follow, but the Sharingan allowed them to see every attack much slower. Fingers formed seals in an unbelievably fast order, nin-jutsus destroyed the landscape and disrooted giant trees.

Soon they realized they couldn't outclass the other when they were able to counter every jutsu with an exact copy.

Sasuke unsheathed his katana again while Kakashi armed himself with a kunai. He had hardly grabbed it securely as a rain of shuriken poured over him, every single one fueled with chakra. He dodged most of the thrown stars, but a few found their goal and pierced his flesh.

A pained growl escaped Kakashi's throat as he hid behind a tree and pulled the weapons out of his bleeding limbs. _Damned Uchihas and their motherfuckin' shuriken affinity!_

"I hope I didn't hurt you, 'sensei'!" Sasuke mocked.

_If you have one weakness, than it is your overgrown self-confidence, Uchiha!_ Kakashi concentrated, remembered the direction the raven's voice had come from and pushed his hand on the ground. A steady flow of electricity-charged chakra went into the floor and searched its way to the source of the mocking voice. A pleasurable cry rewarded Kakashi for his effort and he dashed through the trees, attacking Sasuke with shuriken and thrown kunai.

The two men clashed together and changed to taijutsu, searching for an opening in the other's defense. Both opponents were exceptional ninjas and knew their counterpart by heart.

Sasuke was faster than Kakashi, but the older man was way more experienced in fighting.

Both managed some good blows until they separated again.

The fight reached the next level. Nearly invisible blows were dodged, blocked and countered until the sun settled down and the forest bathed in darkness.

Both men were covered in sweat, dust and blood, bruised and panting. None of them was able to get the upper hand and that realization hit them at the same time.

"What do you want from me, Kakashi?" Sasuke finally asked, holding his cracked ribs, looking up with his complexly patterned crimson eyes.

"I want to know what **you** want in Konoha." The ANBU replied.

"Isn't that obvious? I want my dobe. Preferably alive, but that's not obligatory."

"He isn't here. He's with Jiraiya, killing Akatsuki, searching for you."

"Hn." Sasuke snorted. "Don't play the dumb! I know that he's back. I have to know how strong he has become and then I will kill him. His ridiculous bond will be ripped apart with these hands. My katana will pierce his heart and rip it out of his chest, Kakashi."

The raven appeared right in front of Kakashi. In the blink of an eye he brought his sword in position and stabbed it right through the ANBU's ribcage. Excruciating pain run through the jonin's body as life slowly flowed out of his body, his heart pumping him slowly to death.

"At first I will take the dobe's hopes, then his dreams and at last I. will. Take. His. Life." The Uchiha whispered into the hurt man's ear, accentuating every word with pressing his katana deeper into the dying man.

"I won't let that happen!" Kakashi yelled and activated his own Mangekyou Sharingan. Sasuke stared thunderstruck, then a howl cut through the air. "KAMUI!"

Before he could even vocalize his astonishment of the other wielding the Mangekyou, Sasuke disappeared in a strange whirl. Kakashi knew the missing-nin wouldn't be stuck in the other dimension for long, but he had bought the village a few weeks at least.

Exhausted the ANBU collapsed on the forest ground. "'Ruto…"

############################

In the hot spring Naruto sneezed. _Whew, how strange. I don't even feel ill._

The wooden gate to the spring opened and a head peaked around the corner. "Naruto?"

"Oi, Temari. What is it?"

"Gaara is waiting for you. Please come to the office, okay?" The blonde said.

Naruto sprang out of the warm water and turned to the kunoichi. "Finally!"

Temari's eyes grew over and her jaw hit the ground. The fox-vessel stood there, dripping wet, his sun-kissed mane plastered against his head and his body steaming from the hot water. A warm feeling filled her stomach and a sudden blush crept over her face.

"Uhm, Naruto… You _may_ want to cover your privates…" The boy's private parts dangled lose between his strong thighs.

"Oh, sorry. Haven't thought 'bout that!" Naruto apologized and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Temari managed to regain her breath and waited in front of the changing room. As Naruto came out, his hair still damp, she blushed and led him to the Kazekage's office.

"Naruto!" Gaara came around his desk and captured the whiskered man in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry for my former behavior. I just wanted to reward your professionalism and show you my respect as a superior and as a shinobi."

"It's okay, Gaara. I appreciate that!" Naruto smiled and hugged back.

"Okay, after that is cleared let's get back to business." In the blink of an eye the casual atmosphere had changed back to the official business. "I'll hand you this scroll. I want **you** to take it back to Konoha, Tenten stays for a while. Make sure Tsunade-sama gets this as soon as possible, do you understand?"

"Hai, Kazekage-sama!" Naruto answered and put the scroll securely in one of his bags. "Thank you, Gaara." He smiled and vanished through an open window. Gaara followed him with dark-framed, mint-green eyes and couldn't hold back a little smile for himself.

The blond jinchuriki rushed home. After one day he had reached the surrounding forests of Konoha and hasted on. Suddenly he felt a familiar chakra-signature, alarmingly weak. It was only because of his enhanced senses that he had registered it at all. He changed his course and headed for the source of the rapidly weakening chakra.

Breaking through the branches he stopped in his steps. On the ground he saw Kakashi, coated in blood and dust, lowly whimpering and barely breathing. "Kakashi-sensei!"

The hurt shinobi didn't even notice the man who suddenly held his head in his lap. Blurry pictures slurred in front of his eyes and he only registered a flash of orange as the darkness finally surrounded him.

Naruto sat next to Kakashi and held his head in his lap, sweet fingers caressing the blood-sprinkled hair. "What happened to you?" he whispered before he took the unconscious man and held him bridal style while heading to the Konoha hospital as fast as he could without hurting the man in his arms more.

############################

As the doors swung open and hit the walls with a loud bang everyone in the lobby turned their heads in his direction. Naruto's searching eyes fell onto a familiar pink mob of hair and he rushed to the skilled medic-nin. "Sakura! It's Kakashi-sensei!"

The pinkette swirled around and spotted the panting boy and his carriage. "Follow me!" she instructed him and called for a nurse. "Go get Tsunade-sama. NOW!"

Naruto followed Sakura into an examination room and set Kakashi on the examination table.

"What happened?" Sakura was already in the 'doctor-mode' and checked the hurt man for any severe injuries, her hands glowing in a green light.

"I don't know! I found him in the forests as I came back from my mission." Naruto informed her, concern clearly in his voice. "He lay there and didn't move. What's wrong with him, Sakura?"

She had finished her examination and had begun to heal his cuts and bruises. "He's badly hurt, Naruto. The small cuts and bruises I can handle, but for the sword-wound we need Tsunade!"

The boy shed silent tears. "Thanks, Sakura-chan, for being honest. I don't know what I would do without you!"

She looked up to him. "I don't know either." She smiled a little sadly. "Naruto, I want to apologize for the thing the other day. I shouldn't have said that and I'm thankful that you don't hate me." She stopped. "You _do not_ hate me, do you?"

"No, Sakura-chan, I don't hate you. And if the sayings are right you got yourself a green-clad beast!"

Finally Naruto smiled a teary smile and watched Sakura working on their sensei. He didn't know how he could even talk about those simple topics, but it helped him not losing his mind.

"You're right." She smiled back at him and closed the last small cuts through the shredded clothing, then concentrated on the katana sticking out of the older man's chest.

"What happened?" The loud voice of the Hokage yelled into the examination room.

"Kakashi-sensei is severely hurt." Sakura explained in a clear tone. "I already took care of most of the smaller injuries, but I won't touch the sword. I'm afraid I could kill him!"

Tsunade nodded appreciative and walked over to the table. "Let me see." Green glowing hands examined the body one more time and a pleased grin graced her face. "Good job, Sakura! All small injuries are healed properly, but I'll need your assistance at healing his chest. Naruto, go get Ino and Shizune!"

The pinkette blushed slightly, but nodded. "I'll give my best." Naruto was already gone to get the other medic-nins.

############################

Naruto sat on a chair outside of the OR in the hospital and waited for someone to come out and tell him that his sensei, his 'Kashi would be okay.

After what felt like years Sakura stepped through the doors and informed him that Kakashi was okay and that he would sleep for the next hours. Everything had gone well and they had been able to heal every injury that had been there.

Naruto jumped up and flung his arms around the pinkette's neck. "Thank you, Sakura-chan!"

The kunoichi held the exhausted boy in her arms and ignored the tears that sprinkled her infirmary-uniform. "Sssshhh!" she hushed and patted his back. "He's alright. Give him some time and he will be alive and kicking again!"

In the room where Kakashi would be placed for the next few days, Naruto sat next to his bed and waited for the man to awake.

Clouded eyes cracked open and took in their surroundings. "Wher'm I?" Kakashi slurred.

"I took you to the hospital." Naruto answered and took Kakashi's cold hand. "I was worried about you!"

The jonin turned his head and found the sitting boy, squeezing his hand. "I'm glad you found me. Thank you, 'Ruto." A slight blush crept over the blonds' face.

"I'm glad too!" Naruto babbled. "And I took you and I found Sakura and she and Ino and Shizune and baa-chan healed you and baa-chan said you have to stay here for a while and then some male nurses redressed you and tried to take off your mask and I said they shouldn't and then they didn't and then I sat here and then you woke up and now I have to go to baa-chan. See ya!" Without having breathed just once Naruto stood up and fled out of the room, leaving a thunderstruck Kakashi behind.

_He didn't want them to take of my mask? That would have been **the** possibility to see my face… Thank you, 'Ruto. My trust in you is in good hands._

############################

"Thank you, Naruto. After I know about the circumstances of your encounter with Kakashi, please tell me about your original mission." Tsunade shot him a strange glare. "And I want to know everything right from the start!"

Naruto sighed and told her nearly every single detail. How he had handed the scrolls to Tenten even before they had started their mission, how they travelled through the forests and the desert with him as advance guard because of his demon-enhanced senses, how they reached Sunagakure and then their meeting in the Kazekage's office. He even mentioned Tenten's and Kankuro's relationship and ended with the goodbye from Gaara.

"I see." Tsunade opened the sealed scroll and laid it out on her desk. From the corner of her eyes she observed the blond shinobi in her office. As he didn't even try to read the contents of the scroll she looked directly in his eyes, but hid her true emotions. "Naruto, please hand me your shinobi-ID."

Surprised Naruto rummaged in his bags and gave her his small identification card. Tsunade took it and ripped it apart, right in the middle. Naruto gasped and watched in horror as his precious ID fell to the desk.

"WHAT? You old hag! What did you do! How could you! I…" He was in a loss of words.

"Naruto, listen to me! You have to make a choice and you have to make it now. This scroll you brought me from the Kazekage is a letter of recommendation. He asks to promote you to jonin-rank minimum." She paused. Naruto paled. Tsunade continued. "I want you to choose now. You'll become a jonin the moment our chat is over. But you _may_ become a member of the ANBU, if you choose so."

The boy looked more than confused. His mouth opened and closed like a fish on the shore and his eyes were unfocussed. "Jonin… ANBU…" he whispered again and again. Tsunade went around her desk and smacked him on the head.

"Brat!"

"Ah… what? That hurt!" Naruto growled in his usual nerved tone and seemed to regain his consciousness. "You really think I could make it into ANBU?" His voice was doubtful. "The court won't be thrilled about this."

"The court has made me ask the Kazekage for this recommendation, brat." Tsunade informed him. "They _want_ you to become an ANBU. No one had missed your improvements, Naruto. You are in control of yourself and of the fox, you have become more powerful than most of the other shinobi, even as most of the ANBU themselves!"

Naruto shook his head as if to get rid of confusing thoughts, then his azure eyes searched for Tsunade's brown glance. "I'm an ANBU then!"

The Hokage hugged him happily and handed him a box from her desk. "In there you'll find your new ID and some other things that might be handy. Report to Ibiki as soon as you have told the great news to Kakashi and Sakura. And ONLY to Kakashi and Sakura, if I may mention that. Your ANBU-state is a secret and is only to be revealed to other ANBUs and your own team, understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Naruto seriously answered and started to turn around.

"Naruto." He looked at Tsunade again. "Please, open the box while you are here."

The young man shrugged and opened the small package in his hands. His eyes fell on a white porcelain mask, graced with an impressive, fiery fox-face. A silent tear found its way down the boy's cheek and he flashed a proud smile at his foster mother. "Thank you!" he mouthed, not sure his voice would be audible if he'd try to speak.

Tsunade fought against her own tears, unable to vocalize one of her thoughts. But her glance showed him how proud she was.

############################

The door opened and a masked ANBU entered Kakashi's room. The weak man was confused; he didn't know that particular mask, but the fully uniformed body gave no hints who the man was that wore the fox-face. The hair was hidden under a dark blue bandana, the clothes were the usual ANBU-uniform and without any evidence of a membership to one of Konoha's powerful clans.

The ANBU just stood in front of the door and watched him, seemingly amused of the cluelessness of the hurt man.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked, still admiring the impressive fox-face on the white porcelain.

"Hatake Kakashi, ANBU-captain and former leader of Team 7", Ibiki said, walking through the door and closing it behind him. "Let me introduce you to our newest member." He waved for the stranger. "Wolf, that is Fox. He's assigned to your team. You are required to return to full-ANBU-state, Team 7 is dismantled again."

"But…" Kakashi tried to interrupt, but Ibiki simply continued with his speech.

"You'll gain the commando over a newly formed ANBU-team, containing you, Hound, Fox and Bear."

"Bear?" the grey-haired man asked. _Another ANBU I never heard of. At least I know who Hound is._

"Wait until she hears her new name…" 'Fox' chuckled, but Kakashi couldn't recognize his voice through the mask.

A small grin tucked on the corners of Ibiki's mouth as he spoke up again. "Fox, step forward." Fox stood next to Kakashi's bed. "Mask down!"

"Mask down!" Naruto had NEVER before followed an order that happily. He reached for his fox-mask and pulled it down.

Kakashi gasped and looked from him to Ibiki and back. "Naruto… You!"

"Yes, me. Welcome back to ANBU, captain!" he grinned and held his mask in his hand.

Kakashi's eyes grew over with pride as he saw his former student in his new uniform, standing self-confident next to the head of the ANBU and simultaneously one of the scariest shinobi of Konoha.

Before the door opened another time Naruto slipped his mask back in place and took a step to the side to make room for two people and one giant dog. Akamaru jumped up to his chest and licked his bare throat, happily waggling with his tail. The dog-masked ANBU looked rather confused and sniffed, but couldn't identify the stranger's scent over the smells of the hospital and the heavy cologne the Fox wore.

Sakura seemed to feel uncomfortable in the presence of two masked ANBU, the head of the organization and her sensei. Her eyes flew from one to another and her confusion grew with every passing second. "Ibiki-san, what do I do here?"

The impressive man turned around to her and focused his glance on her, but addressed the Hound-masked shinobi first. "Hound, you are assigned to the newly formed team under Wolf's commandership. Further information will follow immediately.

"Haruno Sakura, you are hereby promoted to ANBU. You are assigned to the newly formed team around captain Hatake, also known as Wolf. Your teammates will be Wolf, Hound and Fox. Wolf will be captain and tactician, Hound is your tracker, Fox is specialist for assassinations and stealth, you will take responsibility of their health as the medic and be responsible for entrapment. Understood?"

Sakura looked surprised, but nodded firmly. "Hai!"

"Okay. Your ANBU-name will be Bear." And as Naruto had predicted, Sakura's face grew red in anger and she tried to speak. "No, there won't be a change in that!" Ibiki interrupted before she could speak. "Bears are really strong and dangerous, but caring at the same time. Don't you think that description suits you rather well?"

A blushing nod answered. "Thank you, Ibiki-san."

"You'll get your mask and your uniform at the Hokage-tower. But now, Fox, Hound, masks down!"

And once again Naruto revealed his brightly smiling face to disbelieving eyes.

Kiba yelled. "Nar'!"

"…uto?" Sakura whispered.

"Yeah." Naruto grinned. "It's me."

############################


	5. Chapter 5

Improvement Chapter 5

Sakura choked. She still struggled with becoming an ANBU herself, but Naruto had been a fucking genin until yesterday!

She had known of Kiba's rank in the ANBU, seeing that Akamaru was always at his side and couldn't wear a mask, but that Naruto had made it that far in that short time – it had been one day! – was more than surprising.

Kiba didn't waste any time with wondering, he just jumped into Naruto's arms and hugged him. "That's great man!" He laughed. "But please stop wearing that perfume. You stink!"

"I'm sorry!" Naruto answered laughing. "I just had to make sure you wouldn't sniff me out as soon as you come in."

"It worked." The dog-tamer wrinkled his nose. "Now let's get some ramen and celebrate!"

Naruto's eyes flew to the grey-haired man in the hospital bed, meeting the amused and slightly sad glance of Kakashi. "I guess I'll join you later, Kib'." The blond said. "Let's meet again when Sakura got her things and everything. You can show us around in the ANBU headquarters, tell me where the coffee dispenser is and all."

Kiba nodded and let go of his embrace. "'kay, Nar'!" He whistled for his dog. "Let's go, Akamaru. And nothin' to the others in the HQ, got it? They won't believe until they see it!"

The Inuzuka took off, Sakura followed Ibiki to the Hokage-tower and Naruto and Kakashi were alone again.

"How are you?" Naruto asked concerned.

"Happy." Kakashi answered smiling and patted his mattress. "Come over here, 'Fox'!"

The newly promoted ANBU sat down next to his newly become captain and took his hand, stroking the upside with his thumb absently. It may have slipped the boy's attention what he was doing, but Kakashi was very aware of the warm hand holding his.

"I'm very proud of you, Naruto!" the bandaged man said. "Not too long ago you were just a little brat, overreacting and noisy. And look at you! You made it to jonin in one day, ANBU even! I'm glad I could see you improve that much!"

"Guess you're right." Naruto smiled sheepishly and scratched his neck with an armored hand. "Kinda still can't believe it."

They sat in silence, the boy still holding the man's hand. Kakashi relished in the warmth the blond radiated and thought he could feel healing his soul's injuries.

He remembered the first time he had come in contact with the jinchuriki. He still saw the hating glares the people were giving the small child curled up in the dust, crying and bleeding.

Rage rose in Kakashi's chest and he wanted to punch those stupid people again. Naruto sensed the anger in his sensei's chest and looked at him confused. "Sensei?"

"It's nothing, Naruto." The man composed himself. "And please don't call me that anymore. We're equals now."

"Not exactly, 'taichou'." Naruto emphasized. Then he grinned. "Kakashi-taichou… Sounds hot!"

Kakashi chuckled, but his heart skipped a beat and a sudden warmth filled his stomach. _Look at you in that uniform! And you're calling my **name** 'hot'._ "However. I'm still proud and I still hold that you and I are on the same level. You might even get ahead of me." _Or get **a head** of me._ Kakashi thought grinning inwardly. He was thankful the blankets hid his lower abdomen. In a few moments there would be a bulge where normally wouldn't be one.

The man shifted and laid his unoccupied hand over his twitching crotch. Before his inner eye he stripped Naruto from that tight uniform and worshipped that incredible body of his.

Naruto entertained similar thoughts but didn't have the luxury of a bedspread hiding his arousal. Blushing he let go of Kakashi's hand and tried to sneakily rearrange the contents of his tightening shorts.

"Uhm, Kakashi… I think I have to go!" The blond blushed and stood up from the bed, turning his front away of the heavily bandaged man. What the bandages didn't hide were the taut muscles under the pale skin and the beautiful, masculine shape of the male's body. "You have to cure and I have to meet the team and all."

"Yes, you're right." Kakashi didn't plan to sleep immediately, that was for sure! "Send them my regards. And 'Ruto" The boy turned around from the door, mask in place and tent in pants. "Thank you for everything! Thanks for saving my life and my dignity." Kakashi pointed at his mask and then waved goodbye.

The bulge in the blonds' crotch didn't go unnoticed and the ANBU-captain's member stiffened even more, oozing small drops of precum that wetted his lower abdomen.

After his guest had left his room Kakashi flipped over his blankets and uncovered the erection he sported in his hospital gown. Slowly his hands slipped under the thin fabric and enveloped his dripping member. A low grown escaped his throat and he threw his head in the cushions.

"'Ruto!"

Outside of the hospital Naruto sneezed. _Jeez! I hope I don't get sick! Maybe I should ask baa-chan to give me something…_

############################

A few days later Naruto was rushing through the busy streets of Konoha.

He met Kiba, Akamaru and Sakura at Ichiraku's. Sakura held a box in her hands, similar to that one Naruto had gotten a few days earlier by Tsunade.

"Hey Kib'! 'Maru, Sakura!" The blond greeted.

"What, no nickname for me?" Sakura mocked. "I'm offended!"

"Uhm, I didn't want to… I'm sorry!" Naruto seemed to be honestly concerned.

"It's okay, 'Nar''!" she laughed. "I just thought it would be nice to have one, you know? And I think while being in a team with you, Kib' and 'Maru, I have to use yours from now on."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Kiba interrupted. "'Kib'' and 'Nar'' are copyrighted and only to use by best friends."

"Okay." The pinkette considered. "Then I'll go with Naru', 'Maru and… Don't know. Would you like 'Karu'? It would fit into the line" Kiba snorted disgusted. "Okay, then you're just Kiba – somehow it sounds like a nickname already."

Everyone agreed, even Akamaru waggled his tail in approval.

They ate laughing and sharing a good time, until Kiba and Akamaru left for the Inuzuka-compound and Sakura returned home to tell their parents about her new rank. Naruto became a little sad as he thought of his own apartment where no one would be waiting for him. He refused to return to the empty flat and headed for Iruka's house instead.

He hadn't seen his sensei since his return to Konoha and then hadn't even properly talked with him.

############################

_And here we go again._ Kakashi sighed inwardly and glared at his slowly rising arousal. _It can't be healthy to be in the hospital and jerk off three times in two or three hours._ But still his member twitched and grew into his full fighting stance. Maybe it _was_ healthy after all? You never knew…

His hands found their way on their own and soon his cock lay in his calloused hand, foreskin pulled back and revealing a pale pink glans. A small bead of precum hat gathered on the tip and Kakashi splayed it over his head.

Breathing deeply he fastened the grip on his erection and began with pumping strokes. A low hum sounded in the otherwise silent room.

In his head it was Naruto's hand that held his penis, strongly pumping it. "Kakashi!" he would whisper. "You have a great cock! It feels great in my hand. And I know where it would feel even better!"

Kakashi had spit in his palm and engulfed the oozing tip of his erection with his wet hand, imagining Naruto's mouth sinking about his cock. His humming turned into lustful moans and his breath deepened.

The blond tease in the jonin's mind bobbed his head and worked on his cock, sucking and licking every inch of it. The man matched the speed of his strokes. He felt the sudden urge to scream, but managed to stifle it with his unoccupied hand.

It wouldn't be good if someone heard him or even came in to check on him! Well, except one specific blond maybe…

Said blond let Kakashi's cock slip out of his mouth and returned to fast strokes at the wet length. _Would his hand feel that warm if this were real? Maybe warmer – he is a little oven!_

The grey-haired man got lost in his thoughts of the blond shinobi that was a walking wet dream and sped up his ministrations on his stiff member. His other hand sneaked around his inner waist and, after fumbling the heavy balls in their low hanging sac, found its way to the puckered hole between his buttocks.

A finger caressed the wrinkled skin and scurried over the twitching muscle. Kakashi pushed a fingertip in and gently petted the silken walls of his intestine, slowly going further until it brushed over the bundle of nerves he was searching for.

This time he couldn't hold back a small scream and arched his back into his stroking fist. Simultaneously he caressed his prostate again and again, longing for his climax. He felt it building up in his testicles, slowly wandering into his stomach. The warmth spread out and dragged Kakashi over the edge.

"RUTO!" The scream was barely muffled by the mask the trembling man wore.

Sperm shot out of the engorged tip of his twitching cock and covered his still pumping hand.

From the corridor outside of his room he heard someone sneezing. It was the last warning he got before someone knocked on his door and Naruto's voice was heard. "Kakashi, may I come in?"

############################

His eyes fell onto a flushed Kakashi lying in his bed, cleaning his hands with a wet washcloth.

"Naruto what leads you to me again?" The man asked breathing heavily. "Not that I'm not flattered by your visit."

"Actually I wanted to visit Iruka but he doesn't seem to be around. Maybe he's on a mission or something." The blond retook his place at Kakashi's bed.

The musky scent of the man next to him was remarkably strong, something wild and masculine lying underneath. His nostrils widened and he sniffed the air. He couldn't place the new smell, but it surely had its effect on him! Again he had to rearrange his private parts in the presence of the man that hunted his dreams night and day.

The remembrance of some of those dreams didn't quite help fighting back his growing arousal. He fidgeted and tried to think of a topic they could talk about to distract them both. Kakashi from noticing Naruto rummaging in his crotch and Naruto from imagining Kakashi naked, petting him everywhere.

"How are your injuries?" Naruto nearly screamed as a sudden shudder ran down his spine because of the sinful friction his trousers caused against his erection.

"Ehm. Well I guess." Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Naruto?"

"No, it's nothing." The blond boy regained his composure and settled on simply ignoring his twitching cock – easier said than done. "Tsunade said maybe you can leave the hospital in a few days, but you won't be assigned to any missions for some time and you'll have to rest a lot."

"Yeah, she talked to me this afternoon." Kakashi told. "She said I should find someone that agreed to look after me for the first days, maybe even moving in with me for the time being. I shouldn't be alone because of the severity of my injuries."

"What about them?" Naruto was concerned. "I thought they were healed!"

"They are. But you don't get a katana pierced through you without some side effects, you know?"

"Ah… yeah, didn't think of that." A sheepish smile graced Naruto's face. As he lifted his arm to rub his neck he lifted the corner of Kakashi's blanket a little bit as well. A warm whiff of testosterone and musk, mingled with Kakashi's very own smell pierced Naruto's nose and he nearly came into his boxers. He blushed heavily and his face glowed.

Kakashi was unaware of the reason for Naruto's blushing, but the heat in his face was highly visible. "You sure there's nothing wrong? Maybe you have a fever."

Naruto nodded desperately and jumped up. "I go see a doctor, sensei!" Old habits die hard. "See ya later!" He fled out of the room, again sporting a remarkable tent in his trousers.

Kakashi's eyes followed the sudden movements of the orange-loving nin and lingered on his backside where two firm buttocks moved flowingly with every step the younger man took. As the door locked he licked his lips hungrily, then sighed wiped out as he felt his member growing again.

"No!" he glared at his erection.

"Beat it!" _Wait, wrong word choice!_

"Fuck off!" _Wrong again!_

"Get lost!" _Better, go with that._

############################

Naruto headed straight homewards and locked the door behind him. Cursing the sealed fox in him for enhancing his senses he went into his bathroom and began to undress. He would shower, put on his ANBU-uniform and meet his teammates to explore the ANBU-HQ.

But before there was some time to ease some of the tension that had built over the day. He _had_ to do something against the arousal or else Kiba would smell it as soon as they met.

As he gripped the hem of his boxer shorts and pulled it down his erection smacked against his toned abdomen and left a small precum-wetted spot. A thin fiber of the clear liquid connected his cock and his tanned stomach.

Smiling Naruto coated his whole length with a filmy layer of his essence and stroked the slick skin. Fisting the simultaneously hard and silky soft flesh he entered his shower cubicle and turned on the warm water. It cascaded down his tanned body and washed away some of the stress of the day.

Smiling Naruto recalled the Inuzuka-way of stress-relief and repeated the movements he had made back then with Kiba. His cock twitched in his hand and he pumped faster. Spreading his thighs he brought his second hand to his back and wriggled two fingers through the tight embrace of his anus. A loud and deep groan vibrated through Naruto. He fingered himself, hitting his prostate repeatedly. Dark moans filled the steamy air around the masturbating man in the shower.

His right hand pumped his cock with turning movements, two fingers penetrated his backside again and again and nearly unintelligible syllables flew from his plump lips. Soon those syllables changed and formed a name that was like an erotic mantra for Naruto.

Finally he shot his load, releasing his semen in three thick globs that run down the glass door of the shower cubicle. "'Kashi!"

############################

"There you are!" Naruto was greeted by two impatient glares.

"Sorry for being late, guys. Kinda missed the time." And missed he had! He had taken a lot longer in the shower as he had planned to. But he just got carried away by his thoughts of Kakashi being there with him, sharing the water and a lot of hot kisses.

"What you don't say!" Sakura fumed.

"Hey, I'm really sorry, 'Kura!" The blond flashed an apologetic smile and put his mask firmly in place. The new pet name seemed to calm her down and the kunoichi put on her own ANBU-mask showing off the face of an angry bear.

"Alright. Fox, Bear, seeing as I am the senior I will take the commando until Wolf returns into duty." Hound commanded and led his teammates into the tall building that was the ANBU headquarters.

"Command to everyone! Please gather in the briefing room." Ibiki's voice sounded from the speakers in the building.

"Ah, that's for you guys." Kiba explained. "You will officially be introduced to the other ANBUs. That will be great! I can't wait for their eyes!" The canine-trainer nothing but bounced in the direction of a big door at the end of the corridor. "That's the briefing room!" he explained needlessly.

Ibiki was already inside and waiting for them, waving them over. "I will introduce you to your fellow ANBUs. Please remember that outside of this building your identities are secrets! While on duty you will address with your ANBU names and your masks don't come down until you are secretly hidden and without anyone not from ANBU around!"

"Hai!" the two new ANBU nodded. In the meantime the room had filled with other ninjas. They sat in rows, facing the front of the room where Ibiki, Naruto and Sakura stood; Kiba had left to the side of the room where he could watch the others' reactions.

"Thank you everyone!" Ibiki addressed the ANBUs in the room and they became silent. "You may have heard that Wolf, also known as Hatake Kakashi, has returned into ANBU-rank. Furthermore a new four man team was newly formed, consisting of Wolf as commander, Hound as tracker and the two new members of ANBU, Fox as assassin and Bear as trap-specialist and medic-nin."

The eyes of the audience wandered from their commander to the two unknown shinobi standing behind him.

"Now please take your masks down to show our new comrades who you are."

Twenty masks were dragged to the sides of the heads and revealed known and unknown faces. Naruto saw Shikamaru sitting lazily in the last row; Neji and Shino sat in the middle of the room and held hands.

"Bear, step forward!" Sakura positioned herself next to Ibiki, posture stern. "Mask down."

She took off her mask and looked up. Small whispers and appreciative murmur were heard. Then Kiba yelled: "Oh, the springtime of youth had sent us the most beautiful cherry blossom!"

"Impressive replication of Lee, Kiba!" Shikamaru chuckled. "Either way: Welcome Sakura! I'm glad we have such a high-skilled medic in our middle!"

"Thank you, Shikamaru." Sakura blushed and then stepped back, changing places with Naruto.

"Fox, reveal your face!" Ibiki spoke up again and waited for the gathered ANBUs to refocus.

As Naruto took off his mask all hell broke loose.

"NARUTO!" Every single one of the usually composed ninjas yelled in unison. Kiba cracked and fell to the floor, laughing frantically and holding his belly.

At the other end of the room Shikamaru stood up from his chair. Stepping up to Naruto he embraced him. "Welcome, Naruto. It will be an honor to work with you!" He said clearly audible. A thankful glance from Naruto answered him and he nodded. After that the rest of Naruto's friends lined up to congratulate the new ANBU-members cheerfully.

The rest of the ninjas congratulated too, told them their code names and left for their duties.

############################

"So you finally made it into ANBU." Neji stated later as they sat in the break room. "It was about time you fulfilled your destiny."

Naruto glared annoyed. "Destiny schmestiny!"

They laughed and Neji patted him on the back. "You still remember! I'm flattered and cajoled."

"Of course I do. It was a great fight back then. You changed me, Neji. Thanks to you I learned you can reach anything if you just try."

"I have to thank **you**, Naruto. Thanks to you I learned that if you get rid of the stick in your ass, you might get something even better in there." Neji chuckled, Shino blushed and the rest of the friends stared in disbelieve. "What? Hyuugas _are_ allowed to joke!"

The sudden tension evaporated and left them chatting happily. While everyone was talking Naruto registered in the corner of his eyes that Kiba and Shikamaru sat unusually close. Their legs were united from the knees up to the hips and they had their heads snuggled together. As Kiba's content eyes met his he winked and nodded slightly. The dog-nin smiled back and snuggled even closer.

"Oi, Shika! Isn't Kib' a little troublesome for you?" Naruto laughed.

"Actually he is." The shadow-user answered. "But it's worth it when he makes up for all the trouble."

Again they all laughed and silently Naruto began to wonder if everyone in this village was as perverted as his commander and his old mentor.

"So, what are your code names?" Sakura asked. "I want to remember yours at least; I forgot those of the others already."

"Mine is 'Stag'." Shikamaru answered. "Shocking, isn't it?"

"'Beetle'." Shino stated, then pointed at his boyfriend. "Neji is 'Gazelle'.

"Wow, they are _really_ creative when it comes to names, aren't they?" Sakura deadpanned. "'Stag', 'Beetle', 'Fox'…"

"You haven't heard mine, so don't you dare complaining about your name!" Tenten's voice was dangerously low.

"What's wrong with your name, 'Hedgehog'?" Kiba laughed and hid behind Shikamaru's slender form while Tenten was staring daggers at him.

"Do I see an attempted Uchiha-death-glare, Tenten? You know we aren't supposed to use them against friends." Shino said from behind his shades.

"Kiba isn't a friend anymore!" The kunoichi's voice was icy cold.

"Actually, Sakura, it really isn't that creative with the names, you're right. But Naruto is a special case." Shikamaru began to explain. "He would have been 'Fox', even if there was a bunny-demon trapped in him."

"Really? Why is that?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Your father was in ANBU too. I'm not allowed to tell you his name or anything else, but he also was known as 'Fox'. It is his mask that you're wearing."

The blond fox-vessel looked down at the porcelain-mask hanging at his side and stroked a single finger over its surface. "Father…"

############################

Kakashi was bored. After Naruto had left no one had come to visit him and he refused to masturbate again. He was afraid he would become sore or something if it would continue like this!

A knock at the door had him back out of his thoughts as a black-haired bowl-cut head peeked in.

"Come in, Gai!" Kakashi said, happy that the boredom would be over.

"Ah, my eternal rival! You are awake!" The green clad taijutsu-expert entered the room, a considerate look in his bushy browed eyes. "What happened?"

"The usual stuff." Kakashi stated dryly. "An Uchiha Sasuke may have that effect on you. It may have to do with the katana that was stabbed through my chest, too." The happenings were serious, but the tone was light. The concern in Gai's eyes left.

"I'm glad you are back."

They talked a while and suddenly Gai sat up. "There's something urgent I have to tell you!"

One of Kakashi's brows cocked. "What?"

"You'll never guess who I just saw at the HQ!" The spandex-fan said. "Sakura and Naruto! They sat in the lounge and talked with some of the Rookies. But I don't know why they should be in the ANBU-HQ in the first place!"

"Well, Gai, that I can explain!" Kakashi continued. "Today a new team was formed and I'll take the commando over Kiba, Naruto and Sakura."

"You are with us again? And you brought two outstanding shinobi with you!" Gai answered and nodded approvingly. "And I'm told you can leave hospital tomorrow if you find someone to live with?"

"Yup."

"May I invite you into my apartment, old friend?"

Kakashi laughed and shook his head. "I really appreciate your offer, but I have set my eye on someone else."

"Does this someone already know of his luck?" Gai asked grinning, not the slightest offended that his best friend wouldn't move in with him until his complete recovery. "And, by the way… Do** I** know this special someone?"

"No he doesn't. And yes you do. But I won't go further into the topic until I'm sure if it is even worth talking about."

"I'm sure it is worth talking about, Kakashi. When you want something you'll get it! You are Sharingan no Kakashi!" With that he left the man to his thoughts and said goodbye. "Let me know when it becomes serious, my friend. I'd like to share your happiness!"

Kakashi stared at the phone, unsure if he should call Naruto or if he should just appear at his doorstep. While playing through different scenarios someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" the grey-haired man called absently.

"Good morning Kakashi!" a happy voice greeted him, followed by a blond mop of hair and an equally happy Naruto in tow. "I came to pick you up. If it is okay for you I'd take you to me until you are completely recovered. I mean, just if you like to…"

"Thank you, Naruto! That spares me a call." He beamed at the younger man. "I wanted to ask you if I could find accommodation at yours."

Naruto wasn't completely sure why he would torture himself with the daily presence of the man that was pure aphrodisiac to him but he was sincerely happy that the offering was accepted.

"That's great!" he seemed to glow. "And while you're with me the craftsmen can repair your window. I'm still sorry for that!" A sheepish smile found its way onto the whiskered features.

"It's okay, Naruto! I guess letting me crash at yours is more than compensation for that." Kakashi watched Naruto's face lighten up even more. "And now please get me my uniform, would you? I don't plan on going through the whole town just in this nearly nothing."

"Too bad! I'd loved to see that!" Naruto chuckled, but went to get the uniform out of the drawer.

"You may see more than you like in the weeks we will spend together!" Kakashi warned grinning and took the offered uniform.

_I doubt that._ Naruto mused but hid this thought behind a smile.

############################

"Well, you already know where everything is, so I guess we can cut the sightseeing tour short." Naruto said as he entered his apartment behind Kakashi. "Couch, window, TV there, kitchen over there, bathroom is next to the bedroom. Because you are the injured you will take the bed, I'll sleep on the spare futon and there won't be a beef about that."

Kakashi nodded, seeing that there was no point in arguing. But he couldn't avoid the thought of Naruto sharing the bed with him. Or the spare futon. Or the couch, the carpet, the kitchen-counter…

"…kashi?" The tone in Naruto's voice told Kakashi that it wasn't the first time the blond had called his name.

"Sorry, zoned out."

"Nice to have you back." Naruto grinned but couldn't take his hungry eyes off of the beautiful man in front of him. _Have I just thought Kakashi is beautiful? Oh man, that will be some loooong weeks!_

"…ruto?" Now it was Naruto's turn to find back to the present.

"Sorry, zoned out."

"And I bet that dream was worth the trip." Kakashi chortled and pointed to the younger man's crotch.

Naruto turned beet-red and began stuttering. "That… Uhm, this… Th… Ehm… I'll be right back!" Muttering under his breath he vanished into the bathroom and slammed the door. Then he screamed.

"Take your time, Naruto. I'll turn up the volume of the TV so that you don't need to hold back anything." Kakashi called to the closed door and laughed at the embarrassed snort that answered. It was just too funny to rile the boy up!

The blond boy stood in his bathroom and glared at his covered erection. "How dare you do this to me?" He didn't expect an answer, but as he heard Kakashi's comment on taking his time and turning up the volume his shame changed into anger.

Fuming he opened his door again, walked over to the sitting Kakashi and built up in front of him, completely ignoring his out sticking bulge. "You think you're funny?" he nagged. As he registered that the other man wasn't even looking up to him he began again. "Would you at least look me in the eyes when I scream at you?" It was not until then that he saw at what exactly his guest's eyes were focused. Kakashi stared right on his crotch. And he_ licked his lips_!

That was almost too much to be real! Naruto stood in front of him and had his prominent erection right there, only separated by a few layers of thin fabrics that could easily be removed with nearly no effort.

While the boy bitched about something uninteresting, his hips cocked from side to side and with them the cock that Kakashi longed for like a starving man for a meal. He couldn't but lick his lips, while in his head the trousers were long gone and he tasted the heated flesh.

The fuss stopped and everything went quiet. Then a hand landed on the back of Kakashi's hair and he was pressed into the covered private parts. A moan escaped his throat as he took in the musky smell, the feeling and the warmth seeping into his face.

############################


	6. Chapter 6

Improvement Chapter 6

"'Kashi, I…!" Naruto didn't know what he wanted to say, nor did he know what he was doing. He just knew that Kakashi's face in his crotch felt unbelievable and that he didn't want to end this.

A somehow muffled noise peaked Naruto's interest. Then he realized it was Kakashi who tried to say something. With an embarrassed giggle the boy let go of the hold he had of the man's head, giving him some space to free his face. But the grey-haired jonin ignored his new regained free moving space and dug into the warm package even more.

The copy-nin couldn't believe what was happening to him and he wanted to enjoy every single second, already knowing that as soon as the first wave of emotions would pass off reality would raise its ugly head.

And reality would hit him hard for breaking the taboo, for taking advantage of his student, using his raging hormones against him. But if he was to go to hell because of what he was doing he wanted to make sure it would be worth it!

He gripped the blond's hips and stabilized them, then brushed his masked lips over the covered erection. An appreciative groan rumbled in his chest as he took in the dimensions of the hidden pleasure giver in his face. As far as he could say from his position Naruto was well hung and that pleased the grey-haired man.

Even if he would never get to touch or even just see the boner in all his glory, he could always imagine from what he experienced right now. Masked lips measured the whole length, relishing in the radiating heat and the twitching spasms.

"'Ruto!" he breathed against the moistening fabric.

Not knowing who, where or even what he was, Naruto stood in front of his former sensei, not moving a single muscle. The feeling of someone being near him _that_ close was incredible. He couldn't decide where he wanted those lips to be – sucking at his engorged cock head, making it twitch even more? Or did he want the man to kiss him, to take his first kiss, his first _real_ kiss since the accident with the raven-haired boy who once was his rival, then his friend, then his secret love-interest and now the bane of his existence.

The thought of the Uchiha-heir brought Naruto back. Exactly the same second as Kakashi mumbled his pet name against his crotch. "'Ruto!"

The blond jinchuriki jerked back and fell over the coffee table. Struggling to regain his balance he took another step backwards and tripped over the carpet. He fell into his armchair and breathed heavily, eyes wide in horror.

Kakashi observed every single one of Naruto's expressions and knew he had done the wrong thing. But it had felt so good, so _right_ in that moment! He would have to apologize later, but now he wanted to give Naruto the space he would need to handle the things that had happened.

"I guess I'll take my things and crash at Gai's." he suggested and moved to take the bag he had taken from his own apartment.

Naruto didn't react. His eyes were focused on something only he could see and his breathing was still heavy, but seemed to have changed a little bit. Kakashi didn't know what he should think of that, but decided to think about that later. Perhaps while having a nice cup sake – or three…

As he lay his hands on the doorknob, a small voice hold him back. "Where are you going?"

"I think it's better if I sleep at Gai's, Naruto. I know it was wrong what I did, but I won't say I'm sorry. 'Cause I'm not." He opened the door. It closed again, with a slam. A tanned arm appeared in Kakashi's field of vision and held the door closed.

"That's not necessary!" Naruto stated, anger in his voice. But the rage seemed to hide another emotion Naruto didn't want to show. Was that fear? "Please make you comfortable, sensei. I'll just take a lap around the block."

His voice was eager and he wanted it to be. He didn't want Kakashi to leave! Naruto just didn't know what he should think of the newest developments. He wasn't used to be wanted, wasn't used to that kind of closeness between two people; even more so when one of the people was himself.

His stance was aggressive, his gestures angry, but his eyes sparkled with hidden fear. A fear of being rejected, being left behind. It wouldn't be the first time someone betrayed him; even if the fox-vessel was sure Kakashi wouldn't try to kill him before he left…

"Naruto… I… okay." Kakashi backed down and returned to the living room. "Please don't be afraid of me! I let it sweep me along, but I won't let that happen anymore!"

The younger ninja nodded thankfully and then left through the door. Kakashi was left behind in the silent apartment, just in the company of his own thoughts.

############################

Sakura and Lee were heading for the hospital. The pinkette wanted to visit her sensei and Lee had become her shadow, so he went along. On their way to the tall building they found a desperate blond sitting on the sidewalk, muttering under his breath.

"Hey, Naruto!" Lee greeted cheerfully. "Want to come along? We're going to visit Kakashi-sensei."

At the mention of their sensei's name the blond shinobi winced visibly. Sakura was more than curious what that meant, but she was sure she would find out soon enough – Naruto wasn't that big of a mystery at least.

"I kinda just come from a visit." The blond stood up. "He's not in the hospital anymore. He's staying with me until he's fully recovered. Feel free to visit him at my place anytime! I just… Uhm… I have to get… something." He took off.

"What was that about?" Lee wondered, but Sakura had already taken his hand and dragged him to Naruto's apartment building.

"I don't know, but we sure will find out!"

Kakashi opened the door and found green and pink standing in front of him. "Hello…?"

"Kakashi-sensei! You're up and awake! I'm glad to see you alive and kicking!" Lee nearly shouted. "The springtime of youth quickens your recovery as I see!"

"Yeah… Thanks, Lee…" His visible eye searched Sakura, hoping to find some help there.

"It totally seems so, doesn't it?" An evil glint flashed in the medic-nin's eyes. "There's surely something youthful going on here."

The older jonin gulped. "Well, come in. Naruto's casa es su casa!"

Sakura and Lee stepped in and Kakashi closed the door. "Can I offer you something?"

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. A coffee would be nice!"

The copy-nin went to the kitchen and searched the cupboards for the things he would need to host his guests. The pink-haired kunoichi stood in the door frame and smirked. _Stupid idea offering something without knowing where everything is!_

"May I help you, Kakashi? I'm a girl, I know my way in a kitchen." Sakura's offer was nice, but her voice held a lot of sharp objects.

"Thank you, Sakura, but that won't be necessary. Just give me some time and I'll be with you."

The medic-nin nodded approvingly and left the kitchen. As she had left the tiled room, the breathing suddenly became a lot easier and Kakashi managed to find everything he needed.

############################

Naruto wandered through the streets of Konoha, not paying attention to his surroundings. Some people greeted him, some others ignored him and he still got hateful glares. It didn't bother him anymore. He knew it wasn't his fault what had happened eighteen years ago and he knew that some villagers didn't even try to see him as who he was and not as the fox-demon that was banned in him. He shrugged and continued on his way.

_How could I be that weak? Why didn't I just stay in the bathroom and ignore the situation?_ the jinchuriki pondered. _It's not that I really would have jerked off with Kakashi exactly knowing what I would do. But a cold shower or something might have helped._

After some thoughts that took a similar direction Naruto found himself in a dark backyard that seemed strangely familiar. He turned his head and scanned the walls around him, trying to remember why he knew them. Then it hit him like a stone: This was the dark court where he wanted to die as the villagers had beaten him.

He recalled his memories, saw the ANBU-mask again, one more time the heavenly smell of his savior filled his nostrils. It seemed to be his day of epiphany, because right then and there Naruto finally understood who his rescuer had been. It hadn't been a man – it had been a boy, a few years older than him but so much stronger than he had been at that time.

############################

"So, you wanted to visit me and you met Naruto on the streets?" Kakashi tried to hide his curiosity behind some small talk. "How was he?"

Sakura's pink eyebrow cocked, but Lee answered nonetheless. "He seemed upset, I think. But he told us to see you here and that we were welcome at any time."

The one-eyed jonin nodded, unaware of the kunoichi's attention that lay solely on him. "Why do you think he was upset?" It got harder to stay all cheery while he wanted to find out what his blond might think. _Wait! **My** blond?_

"He said he was with you a few minutes before we met him so I hoped you could tell us what bothers him." Sakura asked bluntly and her eyes didn't leave the masked face.

Kakashi knew how to hide his emotions, but he relied too much on his mask, not knowing that Sakura had learned to read the single eye Kakashi showed of his face. That eye was enough for the kunoichi to see – she knew the man by heart and knew how to interpret the wandering of the pupil, the twitching of the lid, the movements of the brow.

Right now, the man in front of her was antsy. He wanted to know about the blond but didn't want his guests to know about that. He was worried what condition Naruto might be in and Sakura knew it had to do with something that must have happened between the two men.

"Lee, we have to go." Sakura interrupted her boyfriend's speech about the youthful ways of his sensei's training. Startled he looked at her, but rose nonetheless.

"Okay, Chérie!"

"Go on, I'll follow in a sec!" The pinkette addressed Lee but her eyes stayed focused on her captain. Who fidgeted.

"Okay, 'captain'. Let's talk turkey!" Kakashi fidgeted even more and lowered his gaze.

"There's nothin' to talk 'bout." He mumbled and hoped his former student would buy that.

"Yeah, right. It's totally normal for Naruto to avoid his friends. It's totally normal for you to not read that Icha Icha crap you're so addicted to. It's totally normal for the both of you living together." She talked without even pausing to breathe. "I want to know what is going on between you!"

"He already said it, didn't he?" Naruto's voice cut through the silence that had followed Sakura's speech. His voice wasn't angry or something, just tired. "There's nothin' to talk 'bout. But there's someone waiting for you outside and he's kinda wondering why you're not with him."

The pinkette shot him a curious glare but stayed silent. She took her purse, nodded to both men and then left the apartment.

"Sooo… You're back." Kakashi didn't know what else to say.

"I live here." Naruto smiled and stepped to his favorite armchair, sinking slowly into the cushions. "And so do you, for the time being. I'm glad you stayed."

"I'm glad you let me in the first place. Naruto, I-"

"Don't want to talk about what happened earlier right now? Good, me neither." The younger man interrupted. "There are other things I'd like to discuss first."

Kakashi looked curious. "And what would that be?"

"You see, I was wandering through the town, thinking about this and that, when I reached a dark backyard. I haven't been there in ages, but somehow I recognized it."

The copy-nin's eyes grew wider as he listened.

"I see you know what alley I'm talking about. I thought it might have been too much time passing since then, but you seem to remember." Naruto's eyes searched Kakashi. Slowly he lifted his hand to the man's face and grabbed the hitai-ate, revealing the scarred, crimson Sharingan. "Why have you never said something? You HAD to recognize me, didn't you? You knew it was me as I got into your genin-team. You knew it all along, but never said something. Why?"

Kakashi stared at the beautiful blond in front of him. His Sharingan recorded every moment, every movement of those plump lips, every light glance of those azure eyes that held little pieces of heaven in them. He memorized them all before he found his ability to speak.

"I couldn't tell you. I wasn't allowed to! You know that, you're an ANBU yourself." Kakashi tried to explain.

"Ah! Bullshit!" Naruto's voice grew louder. "You could have told me after I knew you are an ANBU! You didn't!"

Kakashi jumped onto his feet, anger rising in his blood. He didn't want to tell the truth! He couldn't! He mustn't! "Right, I didn't! Don't you think there's a reason for that?" He was all out yelling now.

"Then at least tell me the reason!" The boy begged, not knowing if he could stand his own ideas of why Kakashi hadn't told him he had saved his life back then anymore. He was sure it was because the grey-haired man didn't want him to think it had been more than his duty to save a child. He was sure Kakashi had just fulfilled his orders to not let a villager be killed by others. But he wished there was more! He wanted to be more behind it! Wanted to be saved for himself, for being who he was.

"'Ruto, I can't. I just can't tell you!" Now Kakashi begged too. He wanted Naruto to understand his unspoken words. Wanted the other to read his eyes, see the emotions hidden in them; he just couldn't say the words that would explain everything. They could destroy so much more at the same time.

Both men stood in the living room, facing each other trembling. Finally something seemed to change and they relaxed, the tension disappeared.

"'M sorry, 'Kashi. Shouldn't have yelled at ya." Naruto mumbled.

"So shouldn't have I, Naruto. It's okay." The grey-haired man smiled.

"At least I have to thank you for saving my life! Let's go to Ichiraku's, my treat!"

The atmosphere lightened up and the friends headed to the ramen-shop.

############################

"Oi! Nar', Kakashi!" There was only one man who would yell over to them over the whole market place.

"Hey Kib'!" Naruto greeted back as he was tackled by a giant white dog. "And hey 'Maru, of course!"

Kakashi chuckled at the chaos at his feet that grew even more as Kiba joined the hurly-burly of fur, pads and limbs. The boys were laughing and the dog barked happily. With a last look around Kakashi decided to join the fun as well.

Soon they rolled over the dusty ground, laughing and giggling, totally ignoring the audience that grew with every second. Just the shout of the Hokage managed to stop them in their doing.

"Hatake Kakashi! Uzumaki Naruto! Inuzuka Kiba! Inuzuka Akamaru! In my office! Now!"

In the blink of an eye the cheering crowd vanished into thin air and the place was left empty, only with a panting bundle of shinobi on the ground and a fuming Tsunade towering over them.

Still giggling the three dusty men and one dirt-covered dog followed the angry woman to her tower.

"What were you three just thinking? Or did you even think at all?" Tsunade yelled at full volume.

"Four…" Kiba mumbled and patted his nindog.

"Don't you dare blame Akamaru!" The Hokage hissed. "He's the only one that gets away with this. Akamaru, you're dismissed." The dog cocked his head to the side, than throw his human partner an apologetic look and left the office, obviously relieved he wouldn't get punished.

"Traitor!" Kiba screamed after him, but the door had already closed.

"I still can't believe it." Tsunade grabbed her hair. "One of you wants to become Hokage one day, one of you is a worldwide known ninja with outstanding abilities and one of you is the best tracker you can think of. And still you three get together and act like you were clowns in a circus!" She pointed at them. "Kakashi, explain your behavior!"

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama." He mumbled and stared at his feet.

"Kiba, your excuse?"

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama." He repeated his superior's words.

"And finally, Naruto. What do you have to say to explain what happened?" Tsunade's eyes locked with Naruto's. She didn't like the mischief twinkle she saw there.

"It was fun, baa-chan. We saw each other and decided it would be fun to roll around in the dirt. And Akamaru started it all!"

"BRAT!" She couldn't believe what she had heard. This boy would be her death one day – but not until she had made sure he was ready to accept the inheritance of her position. She assumed there was still a long way to go. And the first step on this way comprised a heartily knock over his head.

"Hey, old hag!" Naruto started. "That hurt!"

"It was meant to! And now get out of my feet! You're all dismissed. Report tomorrow to get your first ANBU mission. Shikamaru will take the position as your captain until Kakashi is ready to return to duty."

In the front of the tower the three males snickered. All of them have seen the amusement in Tsunade's eyes as she had seen their tussle; and even the small smile that had tucked on the corners of her mouth as Naruto had given his rebellious answer.

"See ya tomorrow, then." Kiba waved. "And I'll make sure Shikamaru knows he has to come, too."

"I bet you'll plant that thought deep in his…" Naruto waggled his brows. "Head."

"Exactly what I had planned!" Kiba laughed and took off.

The remaining men headed for their home.

_**Our**_ _home – sounds quite nice._ Naruto mused, a small smile on his lips.

"Two pennies for your thoughts." Kakashi said.

"Was just thinkin' about what to do when we're home."

_I'd have an idea…_ the older man grinned in his mind. _But I'm not sure that's what you were talking about._

Naruto saw the grin in Kakashi's face and knew exactly what he was thinking. "Perv!" he chuckled and punched his companion's shoulder.

Kakashi chortled. "You knew that before you asked me to move in with you."

"I hoped my faultless behavior would rub off on you!"

They both laughed and reached their destination. "Home sweet home." Kakashi sighed and sank down into the cushions on the couch.

A warm feeling filled Naruto's stomach as he saw his teammate relaxing on the seating furniture.

Finally he had someone to come back to, even if it was just for some weeks and filled with some confusing incidents.

############################

"Bear, Fox, Hound, Wolf, Stag – thank you all for coming. Your first mission awaits you. I made sure it isn't that complicated, seeing it is your first and two of you didn't go through the special training of the ANBU." Tsunade explained as the ANBU stood in front of her desk, receiving the mission's details. "See this as the first part of that training. I may have said it wouldn't be too complicated, but it is an ANBU-mission after all, so prepare for a tough job!"

Three of five shinobi nodded seriously, one stared listening, muttering "Troublesome" under his breath and Kakashi just observed his team. He wanted to go with them, wanted to lead them on but he knew it wasn't possible. He and Tsunade had talked about this mission earlier in the morning.

"Alright. Stag, you're the captain and will act as the tactician. The rest of the team will fulfill their assigned roles. Make sure to use them as it fits best."

Shikamaru nodded behind his mask, could even deny himself the muttering of his favorite of all words.

"Okay, you know your orders. Please go see Kurenai before you leave." She looked them over for a last time. "Good luck! Dismissed!"

They exited the office, following Kakashi. When they reached the ANBU-HQ, Kurenai was already waiting for them. But before she could talk to them Kakashi positioned in front of his team.

"Make sure you stay safe! Don't risk too much!" His stoic wolf-mask faced them and they couldn't break free of its stare. "I know it is an important mission, but returning alive is ALWAYS more important than anything else!"

The team nodded and finally Kurenai stepped forwards. "Hound, your partner will have to stay here, but you already knew that. I will take care of him until your return." Kiba nodded. "Stag, take good care of our newbies and make sure they won't get hurt that badly, understood?"

"Understood!" The smirk in Shikamaru's voice was nearly visible, despite the mask.

"Fox, Bear. Make sure to return to me as soon as you accomplished your mission. It is important that I am the first you see after your return. Understood?"

Both shinobi nodded. "Hai!"

"Okay. Team – dismissed!"

They took off for the walls of the village, planning on leaving Konoha without someone noticing.

############################

"Alright, team." Stag's voice sounded out of the headphone every one of them wore. "Take your positions and stay in order!"

Hound had taken the lead, scanning the surroundings for the scent of foreign ninjas. Stag and Bear followed, flanking the sides of their formation while Fox followed some meters behind, making sure they wouldn't get ambushed from the back. Everyone's senses were strained and nothing escaped their attention.

"We'll reach our destination soon." Kiba informed. "Nothing unexpected so far."

Shikamaru nodded. "Fox, anything from back there?"

"No, Stag, everything quite."

"Alright. Fox, search for a clearing near our destination; we need to make plans."

"Hai!" Naruto made a one-handed seal and two shadow clones appeared that took off and scanned the forest for a place where they could set up their operation-camp. "Five miles north of our position." He informed his teammates and took the lead to show them the way to the clearing his kage bunshin had discovered.

They broke through the branches and Shikamaru nodded approvingly. "Good choice, Fox! Bear, I want you to scan the area while we set up the camp. Contact to the enemy is to avoid at any price! As soon as they find out they are located we screwed up."

Sakura nodded and concealed her chakra. Even as she stood next to him Kiba couldn't sense her signature anymore. "Impressive!" he said and she knew what he meant.

"Thank you!"

Without further ado she took of into the bushes and soon was swallowed by the darkness surrounding them.

Two young men set up the camp while one was watching out for enemies and Sakura's return. After a few hours the masked kunoichi returned and was greeted by Stag's dark glare.

"What?" she asked confused.

"Didn't I say contact was to avoid at any costs? I think that were exactly my words."

"And? I hadn't had any contact." She stated slightly angry. "I returned from my task to scan the surroundings, captain. There are patrols examining the forests in a five mile radius around our target. They change shifts every two hours to make sure none of the guards is tired. Their chakra-level isn't particularly high, good chunin-level I'd say. But there are some of them at jonin-level at least. Those guard a big tent in the center of their camp. There are no other defenses aside of the guards; no walls, no traps."

"Thank you, Bear. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. You did a great job." Stag nodded again. _Those two are good! They are a great enrichment for the ANBU._ "Please rest a little bit and then put some traps around us. I don't want to be surprised with enemies all around us without being warned."

Sakura nodded again and sat down at the fire, her hands already glowing green to ease some of the hardenings in her muscles.

"Hound, you'll take the first watch; Fox you'll get the graveyard-shift, I'll take the last. Bear, you'll rest after you have set the traps; I need you at full strength tomorrow."

The three shinobi nodded and prepared for the night. Naruto was rather nervous. It would be his first watch on an ANBU-mission and then he had gotten the graveyard-shift. That meant he had to get up in the depth of the night, after just a few hours of sleep. To get as much sleep as he could he entered one of the two tents immediately and closed his eyes, slowly slipping into a dozing state that would feed him with some regeneration but allowed him to register his surroundings, too.

After a few minutes of his half-sleep, someone unzipped the tent and entered. "Na… Uhm, Fox?" Sakura's voice whispered. Naruto grunted his agreement and the kunoichi sank down next to him, asleep after a few seconds.

In the deepest hours of the night someone tapped his shoulders and Naruto brought up his hand, armed with a kunai and pressed the sharp object to the intruder's throat. "Impressive!" Kiba chuckled lowly. "It's your turn to take watch."

Naruto's pulse beat normalized and he slipped out of his sleeping bag. Kiba took in his place immediately and hummed approvingly. "Wow, you're hot when you sleep." He chuckled again. "I meant your temperature."

"I know." Naruto whispered grinning. "Because you find me hotter when I'm awake. I still remember the Hound-way of stress-relief!"

"Yeah, right." Kiba nuzzled deeper into the sleeping bag. "Now get out an' make sure there won't be a disturbance to ma beauty sleep!"

"You surely need that!" Naruto closed the zipper behind him and easily dodged the shuriken that pierced the tent's canvas near his head. He laughed and jumped up into a tree from where he could observe the camp and its surroundings.

In the east the sun began to rise and Naruto's watch was nearly over. It had become really hard to stay awake, but the jinchuriki wasn't known for his stamina without reason.

Suddenly something disturbed the calm. Small twigs cracked and leafs rustled. The alerted blond pushed a button on his headset that would alert his teammates and hid deeper in the tree. His eyes searched the vicinity for any signs of the enemies as all hell broke loose.

A giant fireball passed just mere inches away from his face and his eyebrows charred despite the mask. The heat forced him to leave his spot in the tree and take his position on the ground, on a free space in the clearing.

From every direction screams were heard as the foreign ninjas activated the traps Sakura had set. After a few seconds it was quiet again and Naruto's teammates stumbled out of their tents.

"How could they get this near without you noticing?" Shikamaru yelled at Naruto.

"They couldn't! I pushed the alarm-button! What took you so long to get here in the first place?" the blond yelled back and scanned his surroundings once more.

"Let's talk about that later, shall we?" Kiba remembered them of their actual situation and threw a kunai into the forest. A second later someone screamed and Hound laughed. "He should have showered before he tried to fool me."

"Fox – clones. Bear – I need you to take care of those that get too near. Hound – you'll locate them so I can get them with my shadows to allow Fox' clones to end them." Shikamaru gave his orders in a calm tone and prepared his shadow-jutsu. In the meantime Naruto once again cloned himself and sent his kage bunshins to take down those enemies that were still trapped in Sakura's traps.

The pinkette stood in front of a sniffing Kiba, already in her fighting stance and fisting her chakra-fueled hands.

It was dirty business. The trapped shinobi yelled at him and cursed him. Others begged for their lives, told him about families waiting for them and that they didn't want to attack him in the first place but they had to because of them being forced to.

Naruto made sure they wouldn't suffer as he worked his way through the traps. A quick cut with his kunai and the enemies fell silent forever. But Naruto couldn't help the tears that filled his eyes and blurred his vision. Every splash of blood on his already red-covered hand, every abruptly stopping scream cut through his heart and mind. He made sure to lock the memories in a dark corner where he wouldn't find them again but was afraid it would just be for a short time until they would haunt him. And for every single one of those ninjas that got killed through his hands he cut a deep slash into his arm.

The kunai in his hand was slippery because of all the blood covering him and the weapon. He wiped away the blood repeatedly but there wasn't a single spot on him that wasn't blood-red, except for the paths his tears had taken down his cheeks.

Naruto had tried to let his clones take care of the hated task at hand. All of the attackers in the camp were dead and there were only those trapped in deep holes and Sakura's nets in the trees. But every time a clone had dissolved all his memories penetrated Naruto's own mind at once and soon it was too much to handle. So he released the jutsu and headed for the traps; he hadn't said a single word to his team.

He didn't want them to do this job. Naruto knew that Kiba and Shikamaru had probably done something like that before, but there was no reason for them to do it again, was there? His mind already was scarred, he had led a life full of scarring memories, a few more wouldn't hurt. Or so he thought.

After an hour full of blood, screams and horror Naruto returned to the camp, still covered in his own blood and that of uncounted foreign men. His eyes were empty, blank from any emotions. Only the spilling tears were showing his inner turmoil.

Sakura screamed as she saw her teammate and friend walking up to them like a zombie. Kiba looked up and followed Sakura's line of sight, expecting another assault. What he saw was even worse. His best friend stumbled onto the clearing, a hollow shadow of his former self, and collapsed next to the extinguished fire.

"Stag!" he called and jumped up. Sakura was already at Naruto's side and tried to clear him from all the blood.

"Where does all that come from?" she asked, tears filling her eyes.

"He must have taken care of those in your traps." Shikamaru explained as he came out of his tent. "I was wondering where he was the whole time. I knew we had to finish them before they could escape and warn their center, but it seems that isn't necessary anymore."

Sakura looked up in horror. "How can you stay this calm?"

"Bear, listen. We are ANBU. **You** are an ANBU now, never forget that! We do everything to save the village and its inhabitants. The Hokage gives us missions to make sure no one of the people in Konoha will get hurt." Shikamaru laid his hands on her shoulders. "Sometimes it's just gathering information, take a secret scroll to one of the other Kages or observe some people that might become a threat to the village. But sometimes it's something like we did today. Sometimes we have to kill to safe those that need to be saved. They don't want to know what the ANBU does for them, but they don't want to miss the safety we gain them."

Sakura sobbed but nodded understandingly.

"Fox did something no one should do alone and I don't know why he did; I can only assume he wanted to prevent us from the things he had seen." Kiba managed to breathe while he was caressing the unconscious blond's hair. "Wake up, my friend."

The pinkette took a closer look at Naruto. "He didn't pass out because of the things he has seen! He's hurt!" She crouched over him and checked his body. "I need you to boil some water and bring me something to clean him!"

As the two young men fulfilled their orders Sakura began to undress Naruto from his uniform but left the mask untouched. She knew she wasn't to reveal his face until they were sure no one else was near.

The blood had drawn through the fabrics and covered his toned chest and abs. The formerly tanned skin was red and stained. The arms were covered in blood and it was impossible to say what the blond's blood was and what was from the people he had had to kill.

Finally Sakura got the washing cloth and started to clean the nearly naked man in front of her. When she got to the red-covered arms she gasped. She understood what she saw. "Why did you do that?"

"What did he do?" Kiba asked alerted. When he saw his best friend's injuries he knew, too. "Oh gods! That many!"

Shikamaru paled as he came over to see what his teammates were talking about. "At least we know your traps are effective."

Sakura snorted unwillingly and began to heal the deep cuts that disfigured the bronze-colored skin. With the help of the fox-demon the last debris' of the self inflicted injuries disappeared. At first the pinkette had tried to count the clashes, but soon capitulated as the realization, what the blond sun-shine must have gone through, hit her.

############################

Naruto opened his eyes and found himself in front of a giant cage. "Hey Kyu'!" he greeted the demon behind the bars.

**_Hello kit!_** The dark voice rolled through the air around them.**_ Long time no see._**

"Yeah, I'm kinda sorry. Much to do, you know? The usual stuff to become Hokage one day."

The glowing fox nodded. _**I know what you're talking about! All that throat-slashing and such.**_

Naruto winced, fell to his knees and began to cry again. "How dare you talk about that like it was something you would do every day!" A furious glare met the Kyuubi. "I killed them and you talk about it as if it were nothing."

**_Kit, I'm a demon, you see?_** Kyuubi explained almost apologetic. **_There was a time when that actually WAS my everyday's business. But I know why it bothers you and I'm sorry. I really am!_**

Naruto looked up and rubbed his teary eyes. "Okay, I just didn't want to think about that anymore…"

**_Then let's talk about something else, shall we?_** The fox nearly chuckled.

"I don't think so, Kyu'. I just want to take a break, you know? I don't know if I want to go back _outside_ at all. There is only blood waiting for me."

**_Oh, I don't know. What about that delicious piece of meat that you call your former sensei?_** The fox leered. **_I surely would take a bite! What do you call him… 'Kashi', am I right?_**

Naruto's eyes grew wide. "How do you know?"

**_Kit, please! I LIVE inside you. There isn't a single thought we don't share._**

Naruto blushed. Then he stood up and held a hand to the cage. A fluffy tail met his grabbing fingers and the jinchuriki petted his furry guest. "Thank you, Kyu'! I should return to him, shouldn't I?"

**_You should!_** And with that the fox-demon gripped Naruto around his waist with his tail and threw him out of his unconsciousness.

############################

With a groan Naruto lifted his upper body and looked around. He was in a tent, his arms heavily bandaged but free of pain. He searched for his uniform but suddenly remembered why he couldn't wear it anymore – it was drenched in blood and probably burnt by his teammates by now. So he settled for his replacement uniform. After having dressed he exited the tent and found his team sitting around the campfire. Everything seemed calm and the only thing that was missing was a guitar.

"Hey there." Naruto greeted and joined their circle.

"Hey Fox." The three answered in unison and watched him with concern in their eyes.

"Ev'rythin' alright?" Kiba whispered and dragged Naruto until he leant against his shoulder.

"It'll take some time, but I'm okay." The blond said and relished in the embrace of his best friend. "Sakura, thank you. You've done your job perfectly! Both jobs, to be precise."

"That's right." Shikamaru confirmed. "Every one of you had made a great job. And I want to get over with this goddamned mission so we will attack their camp tonight." The others watched him surprised. "This still _is_ a mission so we will accomplish it! They are down on guards thanks to the traps and Naruto's doing, so it will be a lot easier to locate their leader and to disarm him. Seeing as his life is a weapon in itself you know what I mean."

They nodded and prepared their departure.

They reached the enemies' camp and split up. Sakura would save their retreat and set some traps, Shikamaru would infiltrate the camp and search for information while the assassination of the leader would be Kiba's and Naruto's job.

The two ANBU hid in the shadows as they observed the camp. None of the few guards that were in the camp seemed to wonder where their comrades had been.

"I hate when they celebrate their bloody victories without us!" one of the foreign shinobi griped and his comrade agreed.

Kiba motioned Naruto forwards. They cut a hole in the canvas and invaded the big tent where they knew the leader would be alone – thanks to Kiba's nose.

The stranger turned around at the sound of ripping fabric and stared in shock as the two buff men stood there, expressionless masks facing him. Before he even could call for his minions Naruto dashed forwards and slashed his throat, this time avoiding the spilling blood. He held the dead man and lowered him onto the ground without making a noise.

Kiba had searched through the tent in the meantime and collected some scrolls and other things that seemed to be interesting for the Hokage to know. Naruto cut one of the man's fingers and sealed it in a special scroll – it would work as a proof for the successful completion of the mission.

Hound saved their retreat out of the camp where they met Sakura again. The kunoichi nodded and they hid in the trees, waiting for their team leader.

"Bear, why are you covered in blood?" Kiba asked after having registered the irony scent the pinkette was radiating.

"Let's say some of the guards weren't as lazy as their comrades." She stated grimly. "I took care of them."

Kiba and Naruto nodded, then Shikamaru sprinted past them. "Retreat, now!" he called and sped up. His team followed as fast as they could. Just a few seconds later a big explosion was heard and the shockwave knocked them over. "There **was** a warning on that box…" Shikamaru grinned from ear to ear. "I guess they won't follow now."

The rest of the team joined his laughter and they headed home.

############################

"Wake up." The voice of Yamanaka Inoichi pierced their minds and slowly the ANBU-team opened their eyes.

Naruto looked at the ceiling and silently wondered why he was back at Konoha without knowing how he got here. The last thing he could recall was that he went to sleep as they had made a break on their way back home.

Suddenly a head appeared in his sight of vision and he stared right into the red eyes of Kurenai. "Kurenai-sensei?"

"Shhh! Everything's alright, Fox. Your team is here as well and you are unhurt." She informed him. "Please make sure you can stand up and then report at the leader's office." The kunoichi left the room.

Naruto turned his head and saw that Inoichi whispered into Shikamaru's ear. The stag-masked male sat up and shook his head. After everyone had woken up they went to Ibiki's office to state their report.

"Welcome back, team!" Ibiki greeted them as they had positioned in front of his desk. Kakashi, Kurenai and Inoichi sat at his sides. "Report, Stag."

Shikamaru took one step forwards and described the progress of their mission. He emphasized the rolls of Sakura and Naruto to a point where it became awkward and both ninjas shifted ashamed.

"You say Bear took out nearly 75% of the hostile forces with her traps alone?" Kurenai asked rather surprised. "Impressive!"

Naruto had to grin. Now he knew where Kiba had caught that phrase.

Now Kakashi spoke. "And Fox finished the captives on his own? Why did you do that, Fox?"

"I didn't want them to have to do it." The fox simply stated. "I've seen a lot in my life; I didn't want them to see something like this as well."

"You know that two of your teammates were ANBU before you joined our ranks." Inoichi interrogated. "Why not let them do the dirty work? They are used to it."

"You never get used to something like that, sir." Naruto stated and glared at the blond man.

The male held his glance and answered lowly. "You're right, Naruto, you don't." A shadow passed his pale blue eyes and he released Naruto's eyes.

"Hound, your status report, please." Ibiki continued.

Kiba started as the team had split and he was left alone with Naruto. "After that we infiltrated the leader's tent and Fox assassinated him effectively and without a sound. The proof of the assassination was sealed into a prepared scroll that will be handed to the ANBU office as soon as we are done with our report.

"That won't be necessary." Kurenai stated and stood up behind the desk, the other ninjas following her example. "Thank you, Shikamaru, Kiba, for your assistance with this. You are dismissed."

The lazy nin nodded and turned around. Kiba followed. "See ya!" he greeted his friends and they left.

"Bear, Fox, be hereby informed that you passed the ANBU special forces test." Ibiki informed the two young ninjas. "Kurenai caught you in a very powerful genjutsu with the help of the Yamanaka-clan. That was to make sure that you were able to handle difficult situations when it comes to real missions. And before you yell at me for not telling you and everything: Every ANBU went through a test like this. The level of the test is geared by the strength of those who take it and I must admit that I am very surprised."

Naruto and Sakura looked equally surprised.

"It's the level that astonished us all." Kakashi said. "You two went through the most difficult exam that was ever heard off here in ANBU. Your ability to work together, to count on the other and to use your abilities to the best effort had increased the level of the test to a point where we had to think of interrupting it. Kurenai and Inoichi have nearly reached their limits but couldn't influence what happened in their illusion."

Naruto and Sakura stood thunderstruck and tried to process what was being told. Slowly realization hit them and they turned to face the other, flinging their arms around the other's neck. "We did it!"

The four older shinobi smiled and waited for the newbies to return their attention to them. Kakashi coughed discreetly.

As the younger ANBUs faced them once again Ibiki continued. "Since you have passed the test you are officially members of the ANBU now. Your rank in ANBU is promoted to ANBU-captains. You will stay in your team and Kakashi is still your superior while working as a team. But there may be missions that you are assigned to without your own team. In those occasions you may have to take the role as the captain over other ninjas. But you proved yourself in one of the most impressive ways today."

The scarred, scary man bent forward and laid his heavy hands on the shoulders of the young ANBU in front of him. "I'm proud of you. You are the appropriate followers of your mentors!"

############################

Kakashi led the still smiling Naruto home and placed him on his favorite armchair. The blue eyes that followed every of the masked man's motions sparkled with pride and something else that Kakashi couldn't put a finger on.

Naruto knew exactly what he felt. Finally he was able to accept his feelings for the other man, he could even think them to himself. _'Kashi, I lov… I lo… I like you! Very, very much!_ Okay, he could **nearly** think the words!

As the grey-haired jonin began to undress Naruto's sandals and tuck him into a fluffy coverlet the blond took the man's hand and tugged him into his direction. Sparkling azure eyes searched for a dark-grey orb and locked with it.

"Kaka… 'Kashi I… Well, it is just… Uhm… You know?" Naruto blushed and felt as if he were Hinata. He would faint every second and Kakashi would never know what he had tried to say.

"Um, no. I don't know." The ANBU-captain wondered what his teammate tried to say, not daring to hope the struggling words would have something to do with the growing feelings between them.

"I… I want to thank you!" Naruto blared and blushed even more.

"Well… You're welcome, I guess?" Kakashi didn't know what he should think of that.

The beet-red teen bent forward and pressed his plump lips against Kakashi's slender and soft ones. The man hadn't even noticed that the blond had dragged down his mask after closing his eyes; he just felt the sweet taste on his lips and didn't want this moment to end.

############################


	7. Chapter 7

Improvement Chapter 7

Naruto wanted to open his eyes; there was nothing that he wanted more. But on the other hand, the kiss was that intense that he didn't need to see. He relished in the feeling of this strong man in his arms. The man who he had fallen in love with without even knowing _when_ it had been.

Had it been the day when he had become a genin in Team 7? Had it been the day when Kakashi had saved his life? Naruto didn't know, and it wasn't important. Not as a slick tongue stroked his lower lip.

The kiss did last. The moment didn't end. Kakashi was thunderstruck. He knew the closed eyes in front of his would sparkle in the deepest blue, would show emotions no words would be able to express.

Slowly, as if asking for permission, the man opened his lips and his tongue darted out, licked the boy's plump and oh so sweet bottom lip.

Naruto nearly mewed and granted the slick muscle access into his mouth. As their tongues met for the first time, it was like they had been struck by lightning. A flash of new feelings flared through his body and he opened his eyes. The blond jinchuriki drowned in the mismatched orbs that sparkled with love.

The warm, wet and flexible intruder in his mouth pressed against his own tongue. They started a heated dance, one experienced, the other experimenting. Both men tried to get the upper hand until one tongue retreated and lured the other to follow into the older man's mouth.

Naruto followed this invitation willingly and deepened the kiss, mapped out the wet orifice with his tongue. Every now and then he moaned softly and his partner swallowed every sound as if it were the sweetest candy.

As Naruto had opened his eyes to half mast, Kakashi could finally see the confirmation that his feelings were returned. The half lidded azure crystals twinkled with… Lust? Love? Both? Something else? He didn't know, but he didn't want to lose that sight.

"N..Naruto, I…" he mumbled against the plump, lovable lips.

Slowly they stood up and settled on the couch, next to each other.

"Shhh!" Naruto whispered and pressed his mouth harder against Kakashi's usually covered lips.

The grey-haired jonin wanted to say something, had to know if this was what the other man wanted. Slowly he pulled back, but Naruto had caught his lower lip between his teeth and didn't seem willing to release him. "'Ruto, please…"

Finally the teen let go of him and Kakashi could retreat. Naruto had closed his eyes again and grabbed for the mask to cover the jonin's face again. The man let him do, but as soon as the fingers had left his face he pulled the fabric down again.

Naruto had returned the mask to its normal position. He already felt bad for having ripped it down in the first place, but he hoped his sensei would forgive him because he had closed his eyes before he could see anything.

The first thing he realized as he opened his eyes again was that he was able to see Kakashi's straight nose. Why could he see his nose? He didn't dare to let his gaze wander further down and squeezed his eyes shut again. "'Kashi, your mask."

"No, 'Ruto, I want you to open your eyes." The tone in the man's voice was serious and heavy with emotions. "Please."

Slowly, oh so slowly!, the cerulean orbs reappeared and locked with the grey and the red eye. "Look at me, 'Ruto. I want you to see me."

Closemouthed Naruto nodded and let his eyes wander. Again the straight nose came in sight, nothing exceptional, but in Naruto's opinion the most beautiful nose imaginable. Then he followed her direct line to pale, thin lips that curled up into a small smile. A trembling finger followed the lines of Kakashi's mouth, mapping the soft form.

After a small peck on those kissable lips, Naruto continued with his sightseeing, took in the distinctive jaw, the prominent chin and the slender throat. "'tiful…"

The blond's eyes found back to the upper parts of Kakashi's face and once again he brought his fingers to the warm skin. Now he followed the scar that crossed his left eye where the Sharingan was. Carefully the pointer finger retraced the red scratch mark while his thumb stroked the unseen and slightly swollen lips.

Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off of Naruto's cerulean mirrors of the soul. He followed their path down his face, took in every expression that they showed.

Everyone thought it was easy to read Naruto; that his eyes displayed his emotions and thoughts as on a silver platter, but the scarred jonin had learned to dig deeper. He knew that the emotions Naruto was willing to let be seen hid something deeper, and now, right now, Kakashi was able to see through the depths of his soul.

And what he saw calmed him down. He had been slightly nervous as he had decided to show his face. The mask had become like a second skin and there were only very few people that knew his face. Actually he could count them on one hand, Naruto included.

The blond boy leaned back and took in the man's face as a whole. It was perfect!

"Why do you hide?" He wanted to know, softly stroking a pale cheek with his thumb.

"That would take a lot of time and even more words." Kakashi began. "But to cut a long story short, I didn't want to look like my old man."

"At least you know your old man; you know who you are…" Naruto whispered, but didn't stop to caress the pale skin he had recently discovered.

"Believe me, he couldn't compete with your father!"

"Wait! You _know_ who my father was?" The jinchuriki asked surprised.

Kakashi sniggered. "Yes, Naruto, I know your father. But please don't ask me for his name or anything! There will be a time and a place when you'll find out. It's not my right to tell you." With those words he laid his hands onto Naruto's stomach, right where the seal was.

The blond nodded and bent forward. "If you don't want to talk, then…" And he sealed the other's words with his lips.

############################

"Do you think they are okay?" Sakura fidgeted on the spot.

"Bear, they are both ANBU-captains! I don't think they will get in trouble while heading for the HQ!" Kiba snorted behind his mask. "And you know Wolf. When was that man on time, ever?"

Sakura relaxed visibly. "I guess you're right, sorry."

It was the day after the ANBU-test. The team was summoned to meet the ANBU-commander and the Hokage and Kiba, Akamaru and Sakura waited for the rest of their team to arrive. "I guess I have to kill them…" Sakura sighed and searched the streets for two masked shinobi.

Suddenly Akamaru barked. "Ah, there's your opportunity!" Kiba laughed and pointed at two ANBU that strolled over to them.

"Where have you been?" Sakura yelled.

"Yo!" The wolf-masked ninja answered. "You see, there was this old woman who tried to cross the street and…"

"Forget it!" the kunoichi sighed and turned around. "At last we can go to see the Hokage now."

In fact there **had** been an old woman, but that wasn't exactly what had caused the delay. It was more that, after the first kiss the day before, Naruto and Kakashi were nearly insatiable. Even more so since the grey-haired man had quit wearing his mask when they were alone at home.

Now the mask even had a reason – it hid the kiss swollen and slightly red lips. Naruto wasn't that experienced in kissing, but he made sure he got his training. And he was a natural when it came to hickeys. Kakashi's throat and neck was full of little love-bites, but he couldn't care less.

The grey-haired man had to contain himself, seeing as Naruto didn't usually wear a mask. But thanks to the fox-demon in him his love-bites and hickeys disappeared a lot quicker than they normally would. And Naruto wore his ANBU-mask, so nobody could see the small bruise Kakashi had caused earlier as he had bit down on the plump lip. He only could muster so much self-discipline…

Entering the Hokage's office they saluted and formed a line in front of Tsunade's desk.

"Finally." The busty woman said and turned to an ANBU who wore a plain white mask. "You may start."

The big man stepped forwards and focused his masked eyes on the ANBU-newbies. They fidgeted on their spots and tried to look innocent, but held his glance. An appreciative growl escaped the man's throat and he began to talk. "As you can see I have a code name, too. I'm known as Grizzly." Finally the mask came down and revealed Ibiki's face. "Today is the day when you receive your ANBU-tattoos. Normally it is just a little thing in the HQ, but regarding the circumstances and your rocket like promotion we decided to make it a bit of a happening for the whole ANBU."

Kakashi and Kiba nodded, knowing what that meant for the Special Forces and what distinction that would be for the two new members.

"The Hokage will participate in that ceremony, as will the Council and every ANBU that isn't on a mission. Please make sure that your uniform is in a flawless state and that your masks are polished." He smiled and motioned them to follow.

############################

"Thank you all for coming!" Tsunade began, standing on a speaker's desk in the training gym of the ANBU.

Next to her was a stage with two empty chairs on it. Like promised the audience consisted of the Council and a lot of ANBUs. Astonishment was seen on the faces of the Council members and a few of the masked shinobi fidgeted slightly.

"The most of you are wondering why we met here and I want to gratify your curiosity. Team Wolf, please come up to me." Four shinobi and one dog stepped up to the Hokage, lining up next to her. "As the most of you know, Wolf has returned to his ANBU duties. Simultaneously we gained two outstanding ninjas for our forces. Bear and Fox, step forward!"

Sakura and Naruto nodded.

"Those two ANBU have joined our ranks a few days ago. Yesterday, they did the test you all know. Today they'll receive the sign that shows their affiliation to our elite. Some of you may wonder why that is such a big deal. Grizzly, please explain." Tsunade stepped back and Ibiki took her place.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. Dear Council members, fellow ANBUs. As you all know, our test is a very tough exam to do. The complexity rises with the strength of the participating shinobi. The examiners were Chameleon and Hornet, so the genjutsu was exceptionally strong and they could observe the candidates as good as possible." Ibiki shot a glance at the two nervous shinobi on the stage, than let wander his eyes over the audience. "What they had to report afterwards was more than unexpected. The assisting ANBUs, Hound and Stag, confirmed their report and could add some more details.

"Dear ANBUs, dear Council, standing here you can see the two shinobi that surpassed every test result ever recorded! It had been planned to give them an A-ranked mission to begin with, but it reached a Super-S-level within a few hours. They managed to accomplish their mission and even took out nearly 90% of the enemy's forces all on their own.

That and the responsibility they showed for their comrades had us to promote them again. They enter our ranks as ANBU-captains; something unknown till today."

Ibiki had to end his speech as a sudden applause sounded and the crowd cheered and whistled. From one corner they could hear someone screaming, something about youth and such, and Sakura knew that Lee would cry _manly_ tears. She chuckled.

Tsunade stepped forwards again and motioned Naruto and Sakura to the chairs. "Please sit down." She performed a great many of seals and then laid one finger on Sakura's shoulder. A steady flow of greenish-blue chakra, a mixture of healing and normal chakra, ran down her digit and formed the known ANBU-symbol on her pale skin. It glowed one last time and the pinkette relaxed. "Welcome to ANBU, Bear-taichou."

Then the Hokage stepped up to Naruto, a warm expression in her chocolate-brown eyes. "I am so proud, brat!" she smiled and hugged him. A murmur ran through the audience, but they ignored that.

"Thank you, baa-chan!" Naruto whispered as she let go and began to perform the seals once again. As her finger touched his shoulder Naruto hissed, but the noise was muffled by his mask. He felt the chakra penetrating his skin and his shoulder glowed greenish-blue as Sakura's had. But then the Kyuubi awoke and his red chakra mingled with the Hokage's. A blinding purple flashed and the audience fell silent.

As Tsunade saw what the fox had done she smiled. The tattoo on the jinchuriki's shoulder could definitely be identified as the ANBU-symbol, but the Kyuubi had made some accommodations. The swirl in the middle of the sign was reminiscent of the swirl of the Uzumaki-clan.

After the audience had regained their composure the celebration could begin. The Council members soon left the gym, knowing that the ANBU couldn't pull off their masks in their presence. As they were gone every shinobi got rid of the mask and the party _really_ started.

############################

"Let's leave." No reaction. "Ah! Come on! I want to go home!" Not even a grunt. "Hello? I want to go home!" Naruto could be very persistent. His cute pouting mouth wasn't exactly helping Kakashi either. "C'mon, 'Kashi… You don't even want to be here, do you?"

_Not the purr!_

Finally he turned his head to the nag. "Naruto. All those people are here to celebrate with you. You don't want to disappoint them!"

"I want to celebrate too…" The seductive whisper was dangerous. "But I had something else in mind." The blond pushed his hot body against Kakashi.

"You have to stop that." The grey-haired man struggled. "Immediately!"

Naruto giggled. "But 'Kashi-taichou! I haven't even started…"

It was too much. Kakashi bolted up and disappeared in the crowd, cautiously hiding his growing arousal. Where was his rival when he needed him?

"Kakashi!" _Finally! _

"Yes, Gai. What can I do for you?" The grey-haired man's voice was full of hope for a distraction.

His best friend understood and nearly yelled at him. "I challenge you!"

Kakashi nodded thankful and together they took off, bringing as much distance between them and the searching jinchuriki as they could.

############################

"What's wrong with you? You seemed upset." Gai asked as the men sat down on a bench.

"Let's say there was someone really pushy." Kakashi said.

"I take your special someone is worth talking about then?" The green clad man turned to face his best friend. "Maybe he's even worth being named?"

Kakashi grinned. "I don't want someone to know about this, Gai. You have to promise that you won't tell anyone!" The taijutsu-expert nodded. "Okay. It get's kinda serious between 'someone' and me."

"That pushy 'someone'?"

"Yep."

"And the name? Come on, Kakashi, tell me! I'm your best friend, your eternal rival! You can't hold back such an important detail!" Gai nearly begged. "Oh, I know! I challenge you and if I win you will tell me!"

Kakashi chortled, but agreed. "The game is on – what do you want to do?"

An evil glint crept in Gai's eyes. "Each one of us has to seduce a special kunoichi!"

"Excuse me?"

"You'll have to convince Tenten to go on a date with you and I'll have to do the same with Sakura. Deadline is tonight, ten o'clock in that fancy new restaurant Chouji has opened a few days ago."

Kakashi's eye grew bigger and bigger, but finally he agreed. "You're a very, very strange person, Gai."

Both men vanished in a puff of smoke to start their plans.

############################

Kakashi was fairly sure that he hadn't lost the bet. He hadn't convinced Tenten to go on a date with him, but he wasn't afraid that Sakura would appear with Gai. If no one would have won the bet, he wouldn't have to reveal his secret.

The last hours he had avoided Naruto like the devil would avoid holy water, so he hadn't even had the opportunity to talk to the ninja-tool-expert. But he had managed to stay out of Naruto's reach and that was a good thing for his calm and his libido.

He entered the restaurant and was greeted by Ino. "Hello Kakashi-sensei! It's nice to have you here!"

Kakashi nodded. "Is Gai here?"

"Gai-sensei? No, I haven't seen him. But maybe you want to ask Lee; he may know where the sensei is." She motioned him to follow her into the dining room. "Lee came an hour ago, Sakura is with him." The blonde led him to a small table where Kakashi saw the pink hair of his teammate. In front of her the familiar green fabric of Lee's tracksuit was seen.

The pinkette laughed loud as Kakashi came to her table. "Hello Sakura, Lee."

As the black mob of hair turned around Kakashi nearly fainted. It wasn't Lee's face that greeted him.

"Hello my eternal rival!" It was Gai.

"What? How? Why?" The Sharingan-wielder hyperventilated.

"Calm down, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura was slightly concerned.

Gai couldn't stop laughing. "Thank you, Sakura, for not being mad at me. I'm sure Lee will turn up every second; the next time you'll come here it will be my treat!"

The pinkette thanked him and left the table.

"Ino, please bring us two cups of sake; I think Kakashi needs something to calm his nerves."

Ino turned around to get their order and the two men were alone. "So, my friend. Let's get to the interesting part, shall we?"

Kakashi frowned. Better get over it quickly. "I think I fell in love with Naruto."

"I'm happy for you two!" Gai's smile was sincere. "It took you too long to realize it. I knew you would end as a couple, eventually."

After drinking their sake Kakashi couldn't wait to get back home. "Thank you, Gai. For everything you did for me!" A smile answered him and Gai waved him Goodbye. "Go!"

############################

Kakashi opened the door to the shared apartment, not knowing what would await him. The rooms were dark, but he could sense Naruto's chakra so he knew the blond would be there. After having closed the door he knew exactly where the young man was.

He was in his arms, kissing him senseless.

"Wow! 'Ruto!" The man grinned against the soft lips that were pressing against his mask. "Definitely a welcome I appreciate."

Naruto wrapped his legs around his captain's waist. "I was waiting for you!" He pouted.

"Now, now!" Kakashi carried his load to the couch in the living room, where he put the boy down. "And I thought you'd be mad at me for escaping your party."

"I am!" the blond insisted. "If I weren't I had ripped your mask apart. At least the mask…" The last words were nearly inaudible.

"You're too cute when you're pouting!" Kakashi grinned and started to undo his mask but Naruto's hands stopped him.

"No, I **am **still mad at you!" The younger man let go of the other's waist and stood up. "You'll get the couch!"

Kakashi couldn't help the grin that crept over his covered face. "You really mean that?"

"Yes! Why shouldn't I?" The tone in the whiskered boy's voice was suspicious, maybe even a little afraid. It was still too early for innuendos, it seemed.

"Because you spent a lot of money on a spare futon." Kakashi chose the safer alternative; suggesting sharing the bed would be too blunt.

"There's not enough space in the living room." Naruto stated. "So it has to be set up in the bedroom and that's where I want you to ban from."

The older man's shoulders slumped. Maybe Naruto was right and it **was** too early for sharing a room – the blond had slept on the couch last night after all – but he craved for the other's company, wanted to be near him, feel him.

Over those thoughts he hadn't even registered that Naruto had left the room. Crestfallen the jonin prepared his 'bed' and searched for a blanket he could use.

He sat on the couch for twenty minutes as the door to the bathroom opened and light fell through the door frame. Like a glowing shadow Naruto's form stood in the light and his cerulean eyes sparkled. His hair was damp and nearly clinging to his head, a small towel lay around his neck to catch the last drops running down his throat and he wore sweater pants.

"Come over, 'Kashi." And he stepped into the bedroom.

Kakashi didn't wait for a second invitation. In the blink of an eye he flew through the open door, following his little blond. His little blond who was exactly as tall as he was…

"'Ruto, when did you reach my height?"

"'Kashi, when do you plan to join me in bed?" Kakashi choked and Naruto yawned. "I'm tired. It was a long day, you know?"

The grey-haired man stripped down to his tight shorts and hurried to get under his blanket. Naruto's bed was big enough for two grown men and their respective blankets, but Kakashi wasn't sure if it was big enough for its owner and a grown man with a grown erection… He hid his little problem under the thin layer of his blanket and relaxed.

The tension returned as Naruto wriggled nearer to him and nuzzled into his neck. "Good night, 'Kashi!" the boy whispered and pecked his cheek. Then he wriggled some more and fell asleep, limbs tangled and his arm thrown over Kakashi's chest.

It would be a long and literally hard night for the copy-nin, whose Sharingan recorded every movement of the other's chest while he breathed.

############################

Eventually Kakashi had managed to sleep but he awoke abruptly as Naruto moved. The boy didn't move something as innocent as his arm that still lay over Kakashi's chest. No, he moved his leg that was nestled between Kakashi's knees.

The movement of the blond's leg brought his knee deeper between the thighs until…

"Unnnnggggg!" The Hatake tried to muffle his moan with a hand, but he couldn't stop the noise vibrating in his chest entirely.

The reason for his suddenly awakening erection seemed to be unaware of the things he caused. He had his eyes closed and breathed evenly.

_'Ruto seems to dream_, Kakashi thought slowly panicking as the other's arm began to move. His tanned limb wandered down his pale chest, stroked softly over his toned abdomen and finally settles the sun-kissed hand on Kakashi's blanket-covered thigh. The man didn't dare to breathe.

As the need for air won over the fear to wake the other he hissed. Naruto had chosen exactly that moment to position his hand over Kakashi's arousal and squeezed. The older man's breathing became erratic and muffled groans mingled in.

Then Kakashi noticed something else. It wasn't just his groaning that filled the air around them! Naruto _purred_. The little brat purred and grinned like crazy! And his eyes were wide awake while he slowly stroked and squeezed the other man's erection.

"You little…" Kakashi tried to growl. A particularly sensual stroke over his cock made it sound more like a longing moan – exactly what it had been.

"Not _that_ little." Naruto chuckled. "But I have to admit that you seem to be a little bigger."

The helpless man choked and looked from the caressing hand to the sparkling eyes next to him. They were unexpectedly near. Just inches away, to be precise. Than a pair of unbelievably soft lips closed over his and he moaned again.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi managed to breath between two deep kisses.

"Don't know. What do you think I'm doing?" Naruto asked, unsure of his actions. They had seemed to be right, but he wasn't sure anymore. Wasn't the other supposed to do something similar in that kind of situation?

Kakashi turned to rest on his side and pulled Naruto's hand away from his crotch. "I don't want you to rush things." He tried to comfort him, stroking the other's face. "I don't know what your feelings for me are. I want you to be sure about that before you do something you're not comfortable with, Naruto."

"Please don't call me that when we're at home, 'Kashi." Naruto begged whispering.

"Okay, 'Ruto. But my words persist."

"I… I don't know what I'm feeling, 'Kashi. But I know that I want to feel that with you." The blond's beautiful eyes filled with tears. "And I wish you would do the same." A silent tear ran down his whiskered cheek and he retreated from the man who meant so much to him.

Kakashi lay there, propped up on his elbows, and looked at the silently crying man next to him, who didn't even try to hide the evidence of his emotions.

"Don't cry because of me, 'Ruto." Red puffy eyes looked up to him. "I **do** feel the same!"

There was no arousal anymore, no sexual tension and no fear. Just two men facing each other with sparkling eyes. The only sounds were their breathing and the heavy, synchronal beating of their hearts.

Naruto was the one to break the timeless moment. He literally jumped up and straddled Kakashi's hip, burying his face in the older man's chest. "Thank you!" Tears of joy trickled onto the broad chest.

"You're welcome." Kakashi whispered chuckling, fighting back his own tears. When his eyes met Naruto's once again, he couldn't hold them back anymore. A heavy sob shook his whole body and the first time in many, many years he genuinely cried.

They fell asleep in that position, Naruto straddling Kakashi's body; Kakashi's arms around his waist holding him firmly in place.

############################

"That's a new one." The dry voice reached Naruto's ears and he fought back the urge to sleep again.

He blinked two times and tried to understand where he was. He lay on something warm and unbelievably comfy, hot breath fanning over his neck. Suddenly his 'mattress' moved and the realization hit Naruto like a stone. He wasn't lying on some_thing_ – he was lying on some**_one_**!

The memories from the last night returned and he calmed down again, nuzzling the junction of the neck he knew to be Kakashi's.

"Kib', please leave my bedroom." He said sleepily and tried to escape the embrace without waking the man who had been his anchor.

"Yeah, yeah. But hurry up, I'm starving!"

Naruto waited for the door to close and then opened his eyes again, meeting the mismatched glance of Kakashi. "Thanks for hiding my face." The older man mumbled and kissed a whiskered cheek.

"Thanks for not hiding from me." Naruto replied and moved away from the man. "And thank you in general." They laughed and dressed.

"I guess the cat is out of the bag, hu?" Kakashi stated.

"I would have told Kiba either way. He's my best friend and deserves to know who my boyfriend is." Suddenly he paled. "You _are_ my boyfriend – aren't you?"

"If you want me to." Kakashi snickered.

"Oh no, no offense! It's not as I would kiss any guy that happens to come along!" Naruto deadpanned and went to the kitchen, Kakashi in tow. As the blond reached his best friend who sat on the ground with Akamaru, he pulled his head in the neck and kissed him straight on the lips.

"You're my boyfriend now!" The Uzumaki stated while Kiba stared thunderstruck and the Hatake roared with laughter.

"Wh… WHAT?" The Inuzuka's reaction was awesome.

"What? You don't want to be my boyfriend?" Naruto continued his act. "But I just kissed you, so you have to want me!" The dog-tamer looked at his captain, seeking for help. "Don't look at him, he doesn't know how that works."

"But you do, 'Ruto?" Kakashi snickered.

Kiba was still searching for his voice, but he scuttled away from his crazy best friend.

"You want to play, doggy boy? Do you want me to chase you?" Finally Naruto gave in and fell to the floor, laughing. "I'm sorry, Kib'! You can calm down now."

Eventually the Inuzuka could speak again. "Duuude! Never do this again! I was scared!" He stood up and dusted his trousers. "And ya'd get in serious trouble if ya'd try that with Shika around."

Naruto looked surprised. "It's official then?"

"Well, kinda. Wanted to tell ya first." Kiba blushed slightly; it was hardly visible with the clan tattoos, but Naruto knew his best friend. "And I guess ya've to tell ya own story, hu?"

The blond waved aside. "I would, but 'Kashi doesn't want me." His lips trembled. "For him I'm just a booty call." Faked sobs shook his body.

That had the three shinobi laughing again and Kakashi stepped up to the sobbing body. "Now, now, little one!" Naruto looked up. "You are my **favorite** booty call! That's something to be proud of!"

The Uzumaki punched him in the shoulder and made sure that it would leave a bruise. "Fuck you!"

"Not with the dog-boy around! No offense, Akamaru…"

After a little more bickering the men finally managed to set the table for breakfast. As they sat down someone knocked.

"I'll get it."

Naruto went to the door and greeted Sakura, Lee and Shikamaru.

"Is there a boyfriend in this house?" the lazy genius asked, clearly referring to Kiba.

"Actually, you included, there are five." Naruto grinned and invited his friends in. "'Kashi, three more place settings please!"

"''Kashi'?" Sakura's head cocked to the side.

"Well, yeah…" The blond boy blushed slightly and took his place at his boyfriend's side once everyone had gathered in the kitchen. The small room was soon crowded by the three couples, but they managed to eat without major injuries.

The two male couples were the main topic and every one of the males had to tell how they had found each other. Naruto scooted over to Kiba and began to tell the story from earlier in the kitchen but fell silent as Shikamaru's dark glare fell onto him. "Sorry, Shika!"

As they had told their stories (Sakura cheering at the description of Naruto lying on top of a nearly undressed Kakashi and Lee shedding manly tears because of all the youthful springtime-love) the guests left the apartment and made sure to agree on a couple-date in the near future.

"The house is all ours." Kakashi stated and sank on the couch in the living room. "As much as I like your friends, but they are quite a handful, aren't they?"

"I can call Gai-sensei, if you like!" Naruto mocked.

"NO! Please, don't!" The man fell to his knees and bowed before Naruto. "I'll do anything you want but don't call that man!"

Naruto cocked a brow, eyeing the handsome form on the ground. "Anything?"

"With exceptions of course!" Kakashi made sure to add.

"Too bad. I guess than I'll have to make that call…"

The kneeling man sighed in defeat, but his imagination showed him a lot of 'anythings' that he'd love to do. "Alright! You name it, I do it…"

His boyfriend's grin changed into a leer and Kakashi was sure that he had never seen something more erotic. "Follow me."

Kakashi was on his feet in a second and followed Naruto into the bathroom. As he entered the tiled room Naruto had already started to pull his tee shirt over his head, revealing a muscled stomach and a toned chest. The grey-haired man moaned appreciatively.

"I could use some help." Naruto whispered huskily. Kakashi darted forwards and licked the sun-kissed pectorals, swirled his tongue around dark nipples and chewed softly on the hardened buds. The blond groaned lecherous and arched into the caressing mouth. "Originally I had meant I need help with the shirt, but this… AH! This is better!"

Kakashi brought his hands around the butch form and kneaded the muscular back. While his tongue drew wet lines on Naruto's stomach his hands wandered down his back and soon grabbed two firm buttocks.

The blond yelped and gripped harshly into Kakashi's hair. "Up here!" His voice was commanding and full of lust.

The older man followed the order willingly and let caressing hands strip down his shirt. Soon naked chests pressed against each other and the men's tongues explored the other's mouths. Moaning echoed through the air and the tension increased.

"I will ask this only one time, 'Ruto." Kakashi groaned as he ground his pulsing erection against the equally throbbing hard-on clad in Naruto's sweat pants. "Is this what you want?"

"No."

############################


	8. Chapter 8

Improvement Chapter 8

Kakashi was a genius. He wasn't in ANBU without reason and he had worked hard to become a captain, responsible for the tactics of his team. His specialty was to predict his enemy's actions; thanks to the Sharingan he had perfected this talent to an unknown degree, only surpassed by the two Naras, Shikamaru and Shikaku.

He had thought through many, many possible developments, one hotter than the other, but not one of them had begun with the word 'No.'!

"No?" To say he was confused was an understatement.

Naruto giggled. Yes, he _giggled_! How could he? How dare he? Kakashi fumed.

A shadow dashed through the small room, but that couldn't surprise Kakashi – he was a jonin, after all. He was still fuming; but what _did_ confuse him more was that he was naked, completely.

He blinked.

He blinked once more.

And Naruto drooled. He literally drooled. On Kakashi's pants that he held in his hands. His eyes roamed over Kakashi's nude form in front of him and hadn't he already fell in love with his character, he certainly would fall for his body!

Pale, slightly scarred skin taunted over pronounced muscles, reminiscent of a perfectly sexy landscape. Small hills dispersed over the plain of Kakashi's upper body, the chest-heights adorned by dusky nipples. In the center of the six-pack-hills winked a coy bellybutton and a small trail of silver hair lead its way down to the trimmed scrub of the older man's pubes.

Naruto's eyes avoided the center of his interest, following the straight lines of prominent tendons wandering down the muscular thighs. Reaching the feet the blond suddenly realized that he had never been interested in feet before. He wasn't now, either, but his boyfriend's feet seemed surprisingly… nice. Surely nicer than any feet that he had seen till then!

Eventually Naruto's sightseeing tour was nearly completed, only the highlight was still outstanding. The blond was a little afraid of what he might find. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold back, once he saw the manhood of the other jonin.

Finally, he visibly shrugged and let his eyes roam over the beautiful legs once again, this time upwards. His look faltered, than he took in the sight. Trimmed, lightly silver hair framed the half hard erection of his boyfriend, giving the twitching member a nearly glowing appearance. Heavy globes hung below it, filling out the tight sac.

Not until now Naruto had had the courage to look at the impressive cock itself. What he saw let his mouth water. Half hanging in his half erect state, the other's penis twitched to life, visibly growing under the interested look it seemed to feel. More blood rushed in the area and colored the halfway exposed glans.

"_That's_ what I want." Naruto groaned huskily. "Can I… touch it?"

The question was silent and shy, but full of curiosity. Kakashi smiled and took a step forward, intruding Naruto's personal space. "I'm all yours, 'Ruto." His cock twitched again in anticipation.

The blond boy reached out with his hands, laid them on Kakashi's warm chest and let them roam down, passing the toned abs and finally reaching the short pubes. He paused, searching for another sign of admission. The man he had his hands and eyes on nodded invitingly and moaned lowly.

That was enough for Naruto and he finished his journey. Cautiously stroking the hardening flesh he took in every feeling, every information he could get from his searching fingertips.

The skin was velvety and flexible, but at the same time stretched tight over the throbbing flesh. The erection was twitching under his probing fingers and Kakashi groaned. "'Ruuuuu…toooo."

Naruto's eyes shot up to Kakashi's face, searching for a sign of discomfort or something.

This was so different from his time with the Inuzuka. Kiba had told him what to do, had let him know that there wasn't anything he could do wrong as long as he made what had pleased himself before. But now, there was more behind it. It was the first time Naruto touched his boyfriend; the first time the older, more experienced man was touched by him! He didn't want to disappoint him, he had to please him, to make everything right!

Kakashi opened his eyes – when had he closed them? – and found Naruto's piercing gaze on his face. "Please don't stop, 'Ruto! It feels so good what you do to me." He couldn't help the longing sigh that accompanied his words. But they seemed to be the right ones, because the blond boy returned to his task at hand; literally.

In the meantime Kakashi's erection had reached its full length, standing prominently in front of the grey-haired man, his head proudly lifted in the air, oozing a lot of precum.

The amount of natural lube surprised even the owner of its dispenser himself. It seemed to be the blond's effect on him and he wasn't that shocked; he loved the man, so it seemed expectable that he was even more aroused than he had been in the past.

Naruto stroked the heated flesh, feeling the whole length throbbing in his palm, even feeling the pulse rushing through the veins. With two fingers he spread the clear liquid from its tip, bringing the covered fingers to his face.

A probing tongue darted out of his mouth and took in the taste of his lover. The flavor flooded his taste buds. Musky, bitter, slightly salty but simultaneously sweet and oh so addicting! Simply Kakashi at his best!

The younger man moaned appreciatively and immediately wanted more.

Without further ado he fell to his knees and brought his face at the same level as the pulsing length.

"'Ruto, you don't have to d…ooooohhhhh!" There was no way Kakashi could form a coherent sentence when this unbelievably hot and wet mouth engulfed his manhood. He shut his eyes closed, didn't want to see his flesh disappearing in Naruto's wet orifice; he would have come from the sight alone right then and there!

As Naruto worked his way down his shaft, humming happily and aroused, it nearly was too much already. Kakashi took hold of the blond tresses that neared his lower abdomen and pulled back the head that was able to give heavenly pleasures.

"Please, 'Ruto, gimme a break!"

The pressed tone in his boyfriend's voice told him he had done everything right. But he wasn't sure if he wanted his lover to have his way – the feeling of the other's flesh in his mouth, the other's taste on his tongue had been too good to abstain from it already.

The pull on his hair became harder as he sucked on the swollen head that was the only part of the older man's length that he still could reach. "Uzumaki! You don't want to end it here, want you?"

The fox-vessel gave in and released the yummy appendage with a wet 'Popp'.

Naruto let Kakashi pull him up and into a fierce kiss. Kakashi could taste the lingering taste of his own essence on Naruto's lips, already mingling with the vanilla-ish taste that was the blond's.

"You're so hot, 'Ruto. Now it's my turn!" the grey-haired man insisted and nestled with the ribbons of the boy's pants. Eventually he had won the fight against the evil pants of doom and had managed to bring them down to Naruto's ankles.

Lifting one leg after the other they got rid of the offending fabric and Kakashi could finally see Naruto in all his naked glory.

"You don't know how beautiful you are!" he breathed and took in the sight once more.

Naruto's tan was the perfect pendant to Kakashi's pale body. Thanks to the healing powers of the Kyuubi Naruto's skin was nearly unscarred. Only two scars nothing but adorned the otherwise faultless body; one little scar on the blond's hand, memory of their first mission and a reminder of a given word, the other one a relic of the jinchuriki's fight against his former best friend and rival who had become a traitor.

The younger man was bulkier than his older counterpart, his frame broader and more muscular. Kakashi's slender, but toned frame told about his agility in battle while Naruto's form told a story of hard training and nearly unbelievable stamina and strength.

His stance was surprisingly relaxed, given the current situation of being naked in front of him for the first time. Kakashi was thankful things between them were that easy and relaxed, even after just a few hours of officially dating. Well, the first date still had to happen, but regarding their progression it would flow well.

Naruto's body was a miracle of nature for itself. Sun loved skin; eyes, blue like the clear sky over Konoha or the shallows of the sea; blond spikes fighting the gravity and resembling the sun; the fresh, kind of 'airy' taste of the blond – he combined the elements and put his character on top of that.

The shiny blond of his tresses repeated itself over his whole body. The legs were adorned with thin, darker blond hairs, even so the arms. The boy's pubes showed the same blond, winding in nappy curls. Kakashi had to think of a halo around the base of Naruto's tan cock and chuckled.

"May I, your Holiness?" he snickered and pointed at Naruto's twitching length.

"You may!" the blond answered with acted dignity and waved the grey-haired man over.

Kakashi didn't wait for another invitation. He held the throbbing flesh at its base and fell onto his knees. Immediately he closed his lips around the tip and licked the head like a candy stick. Naruto's legs slightly gave in and he had to grab the grey hair to stabilize. "'Kashi, that… Hmmmmmm!"

The ANBU-captain's lips curled up into a smile and he worked his tongue into Naruto's slit._ It gets better, my love!_ And better it got!

Kakashi worked his way down the shaft, continuingly stroking his tongue over the underside of the twitching pole, until the tip reached the back of his mouth. The man pulled his head in the neck and shot his lover a glance. The blond seemed to be in another world, disbelievingly staring at his boyfriend who seemed to be eager to devour him completely.

A shy smile played at his lips as he whispered. "I… Ung! Gods! I like that!"

A new plan formed in Kakashi's mind. He would show the fox-boy the depth of his love, literally. He relaxed the muscles in his throat and began to swallow the throbbing length down to its base.

Naruto's breath came erratic, changed between deep breaths and short, hectic puffs of air.

As Kakashi's nose buried in blond curls, the other screamed. "Kakashi!"

The grey-haired man relished in the sounds he got out of the blond boy, drinking them like a man in the desert. A groan vibrated through his chest, continued his way through the pulsing length buried in his throat and increased the volume and the height of the jinchuriki's cries.

It didn't take long until… "'Kashi, Ahm….! I.. I'll cum!" Naruto warned Kakashi, tried to get away from the torturing walls clinging around his arousal, but the man wouldn't have any of that. He retreated a little bit, until only half of the twitching flesh was engulfed and then bobbed his head.

Naruto's legs quivered, he had to reach for the sink to prevent him from toppling over. Then, a piercing cry cut through the air. "'KASHI!" It was too much for the blond, he couldn't hold back any longer. His whole body seemed to burn, his blood boiled from lust and every nerve stood in flames.

He felt his cock pumping, felt his semen take its way through from his balls through his whole length, burning hot in his urethra until it shot out of his tip, being swallowed by his lover.

What he couldn't swallow where the incoherent words and syllables that flew from the jinchuriki's mouth.

Naruto's yell sounded like the angel's choir in Kakashi's ears. His beloved blond tried to escape the prison that was his mouth, but Kakashi didn't let him. He grabbed his firm buttocks and held the throbbing length in his orifice, caressed the tip with his fluttering tongue and worked on the other's climax.

He wanted to taste Naruto's essence at any cost and he would reach that goal! Humming and groaning he licked every spot of the hot flesh between his lips that he could reach, bobbing his head up and down.

"'KASHI!" Naruto's newly screamed mantra echoed from the tiled walls and suddenly his cock contracted. Kakashi looked up into his lover's contorted face and was met by enjoying eyes that weren't their usual cerulean blue but glowing red. Then the thick head pushed forward again, releasing great amounts of hot, sticky juice.

Naruto's sperm shot out of the tip of his erection, splattered against the roof of Kakashi's mouth and covered the twitching muscles of his throat.

The older man swallowed every single drop of cum, relished in the salty, musky and slightly fresh taste of his lover's essence as the warm liquid soothed his sore throat.

Releasing the still twitching cock of his mouth he licked his lips, looking up to his other half. "You okay?"

"No. I'm **best**!" Naruto grinned sheepishly and pulled Kakashi upwards to his face. His eyes had regained their original color and Naruto couldn't feel the fox' presence anymore. But he surely could hear the satisfied purr of his furry friend. The jinchuriki echoed the purr and nuzzled the curve of his boyfriend's neck.

The man grabbed the teen's chin and dragged his lips onto his. A heated kiss shared the fruit of Kakashi's efforts with Naruto and both tasted their mixing flavors.

############################

"That was unbelievable!" Naruto couldn't still believe what he had felt. "'Kashi, that was just… incredible!"

Kakashi chuckled and dragged his boyfriend closer. "It may come a time when you can return the favor."

"'M lookin' forward to it!"

They lay in Naruto's bed, still naked and pleased. Their legs were entangled, their upper bodies resting next to each other, Naruto's head on Kakashi's outstretched arm and Kakashi's hand slowly stroking Naruto's chest.

"Naruto, I-"

"Kakashi, don't-"

They laughed. "Cliché!" Both giggled, then waited for the other to speak.

Finally Naruto started. "Don't you think this is just too corny?" His eyes sparkled in amusement.

"You're probably right…" Kakashi confirmed. "But let me take this to a new level of corny-ness!"

"Okay… Go on!"

"I wanted to ask… Well, do you think I could move in here?"

Naruto was surprised by the question. "Um… You _have_ already moved in, 'Kashi."

Confused eyes looked up to him. "I know, 'Ruto. I meant 'moving in' as in 'not leave after I recovered'."

The penny had dropped, hearable. "You want to stay?" The blond fought for a serious expression on his face. "'Kashi, you're right. Just now we have reached the next level of corny-ness." His eyes softened. "But I would love to have you around me every day nonetheless!"

Kakashi dragged the blond man over until he lay completely on him. Their lips met in a heated kiss full of emotions. And, as every time when the blond kissed him, the one-eyed jonin felt his arousal awaken.

"You are insatiable!" Naruto deadpanned, but grinned.

"I thought _you_ might be hungry. **I** had my lunch after all…"

Both men laughed and Naruto wriggled his hips. "Actually I _am_ kinda hungry…" Kakashi's eyes obscured with lust. "But it's time for us to get dressed."

"What? Why? 'Ruto! You can't do this to me!" He was sincerely shocked by the cruelness of his whiskered wet dream.

"If you'd forget your insatiable sex hunger just for a second you'd sense Iruka coming up the staircase." Naruto chuckled, ground his own growing erection one more time against Kakashi's and stood up to get dressed.

The man in the bed mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "Goddamn chunin and his foster son…" but finally lifted his body from the mattress to get his clothes out of his bag.

############################

A few minutes later the three shinobi sat in the kitchen, sipping hot tea.

"There's a rumor abroad that some of the finest shinobi of our village are taken. Any suggestions?" Iruka was more than curious.

"Oh, the Kiba-Shika-thing is already out?" Naruto acted innocent, but the chunin knew him too well.

"Yeah, that. For example…" Knowing eyes roamed over the forms of the man he had always seen as his foster son and the seemingly uninterested Sharingan no Kakashi. "Come on, guys! Don't make fun of me!"

Surprisingly it was Kakashi who answered. "You're right, Iruka. This little fox here is mine!"

The possessive words surprised Naruto, but he smiled and scooted over to his boyfriend. "That's still to see, who owns whom and such." His smile flashed at Iruka. "But he's right, 'Ruka. I finally found someone who wants me."

Iruka was happy for them. He'd always seen the grief in the jinchuriki's eyes. Because of the demon sealed within him, the blond had never led an easy life. He was hated by nearly the whole village, not knowing what was wrong with him. Even people who should have known better as to take him at a disadvantage have just done that and the chunin's thoughts wandered to Mizuki, his former coworker and, to his shame, lover. It had been only a few weeks and Iruka knew now it had only been for the other to get closer to Naruto, but he felt ashamed for the short time he had shared his life with the traitor.

Now, the blond had finally found someone that took him as what he was: A bouncing ray of sunshine, which lit up the lives of those around him. And it was a happy coincidence that it was Kakashi's life that he would light up the most, seeing that the older male had been captured in the darkness of his father's shadow for too long.

"I'm just happy that you have each other now!" Iruka was as pleased as Punch. "You of all people deserved it the most. But I'm still curious… When had it started with you?"

"Kinda as I got out of the hospital and crashed here." Kakashi told. "There was some kind of incident and after that it became… smoother, I'd say."

Naruto grinned at the memory of him pressing Kakashi's face in his crotch. "Actually it was kinda _hard_" Naruto emphasized that word "in the beginning." Kakashi blushed, remarkable even on the visible parts of his face and the blond chuckled.

Kakashi decided to take over the conversation again, afraid of what else his boyfriend might insinuate. "After the ANBU-exams, it got serious. What?" He was interrupted by Naruto's cough.

"What? Iruka is permitted to know of your ANBU-rank. He is an ANBU, too." That had Naruto cough some more, this time out of surprise.

"That's right, Naru'. I'm a teacher in the ninja-academy and in the ANBU-academy as well." The man with the prominent scar above the root of his nose explained. "Entrapment, to be precise. But as I hear it I might take some tutoring lessons with Sakura. But let's forget that for now. I want to hear how it became 'serious'. Just spare me with juicy details!"

"Oh, then that's it, nothing more to tell." Kakashi lived up to his reputation.

"Don't say that!" Naruto yelled, deeply blushing. "That's kinda ma dad you're talkin' to! Don't believe him, 'Ruka! We just kissed, that's all! Well, it's more like I kissed him at first, but it became a two-way-thing afterwards." Again a delighted smile adored his whiskered cheeks and the happiness radiated from him like the Kyuubi's chakra did when he was in a fierce battle.

Iruka was pleased of what he saw. After excusing himself he left the lovers to their company.

############################

"Sooooo…" Kakashi started. "Back to bed?"

"You are obnoxious!" Naruto growled.

"Okay, no bed." The other gave in. "Then the couch? Or right here? Wherever you like is okay with me!"

"Forget it, perv!" The blond jumped up. "And hold your hands still! That's MY ass you were fumbling at!"

"It's more fun than fumbling your own ass, you know?" Kakashi grinned. "But that's fun too. You have to try it some day!"

The blond didn't know if he had heard right. On the other hand – Kakashi _was_ an official perv, so he shouldn't be that surprised. He decided to ignore the other male's advances and instead began to stroll to the bedroom.

"Then it _is_ the bed?" The pleasant anticipation in the grey-haired man's voice was clearly audible.

"It may be." Naruto nodded. "But then it will be a solo show. I'm going out!"

Kakashi sighed in defeat. "You are mean, 'Ruto. Don't be so cold!"

"I'm not cold, I'm hungry." The blond stated.

"But that's perfect!" The jonin's mood lightened up immediately. "You can eat me!"

The death glare he received wasn't surprising.

"See ya later!" Naruto said and left through the door.

Kakashi grinned. _Of course we will._

############################

Naruto strolled through the streets of Konoha, heading for Ichiraku's. It wasn't just the best place to get the best ramen, it was the place where he would most definitely find at least one of his friends, too.

The booth came in sight and if the crowd in front of it was any indication, then there was something special happening. "What's going on?" Naruto drew near.

"This one ninja, have forgotten his name… Kokosi? Kakose? Shakabi? Don't know… That one with the mask and such. He's here and he said he would reveal his face to everyone if anyone could beat him in an eating contest."

Naruto was fairly sure who that 'Kokosi' was, but he wouldn't show his face, would he? He fought his way through the crowd, searching for the familiar silver shock of hair. "Kakashi!"

"Yo!" The one-eyed ninja greeted the nearly panicking young man.

"What are you doing!" Naruto felt confused, angry and… betrayed – once again. "Is it because I didn't want to… you know what… earlier?"

"I don't know what you're talkin' about, Naruto." He threw him a strange glare. "I was just searchin' for a distraction. I was bored at home."

The words hurt Naruto, unexpectedly deep. "Bored? I left a few minutes ago and you were already bored?" He tried not to show his frustration. It hadn't take the other man long to overcome his feelings, it seemed. "What is this, 'Kashi?"

The center of the audience's interest turned wholly around, facing the trembling teen. "As I said it – it's a contest. If someone beats me he can decide where I take my mask down." His dark grey eye locked with Naruto's glare. "You're up for a challenge?"

"I don't know if I'm up for you…" His voice was broken-hearted.

Kakashi hoped he could mend the damage he might be causing now. "Since when do you back down on a challenge, Naruto-kun?" The added honorific didn't go unnoticed.

"I won't!" Naruto was angry, a dark aura surrounding him. As he stepped up to a free stool next to Kakashi, the crowd parted before him. "Hello Teuchi!" Naruto greeted the old man behind the counter. "I'm in. That is my ninja-way!"

Kakashi was relieved he had been able to convince the other to challenge him. This wasn't about the sex he hadn't got after Iruka had left their apartment. This was about showing Naruto that he was loved, that he was respected, but that he mustn't lose his will to fight.

Kakashi wouldn't stop loving Naruto, no matter what, but to make sure Naruto would improve in the future, he had to be reminded there was something at stake.

"And what will you do if you lose?" The silver-haired man asked innocently.

"I want to fight." Naruto's tone was low, dark and dangerous as the atmosphere around him.

"That's what this all is about, isn't it?" Kakashi mocked.

"No." Naruto looked up, anger in his glare. "After I beat you at this, I wanna beat you in battle! We will spar, Kakashi-sensei, and I won't hold back."

"Sounds promising. But wouldn't that mean you'll lose two times? At first in ramen-war, then in battle? Anyway, I accept. But with one condition!" Kakashi was eager to begin. "We'll spar either way!"

They both sat at their fifth bowl of ramen, Kakashi hidden behind a screen to preclude the crowd from seeing him without his mask.

It was a challenge for each man. Naruto may have been the number one ramen-eater in Konoha, but Kakashi was eager to give the other a task that was worth being called a challenge. The chopping sticks worked at a frantically speed, every shinobi swallowing oodles of noodles and broth.

After half an hour Kakashi had to admit his defeat. He pushed the tenth bowl away from him and put down his sticks. Pulling the mask back in place he knocked against the screen. Naruto had just finished his eleventh bowl as the man came around the wall.

"You won."

Naruto didn't even cheer. He stared at his opponent, silent. Then: "No surprise, Kakashi-sensei. So, the fight?"

"Training ground seventeen, meet me there." Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a baffled and disappointed crowd. They had hoped for action, yells and bantering, but all they got were two silent men eating ramen. And now they wouldn't even be able to see the following fight because training ground seventeen was strictly for jonin-ranked shinobi and no audience was allowed – it was too dangerous for civilians or even lower ranked shinobi to be near the fighting jonin.

############################

Naruto appeared in the middle of the training field, scanning his surroundings for the other male. Soon his eyes fell onto the bored man, leaning against a tree on the far end of the plain.

"I'm here. Let's get this over with." Naruto was eager to show the other man how bad he had hurt him, how deep the stabs to his heart have been.

"'Ruto, I…" Kakashi was afraid he could have taken this too far.

"No ''Ruto' anymore, Kakashi-sensei." The blond interrupted. "Right here, right now I am just the man who won't hold back. It's one on one, and I promise I won't use Kyuubi. So everything you will feel, it comes from me! It comes straight from where you have been until you fucked up!"

Without a warning Naruto vanished in a swirl of dust and leafs. Before he could do anything Kakashi was attacked from behind. He couldn't block the strike that came and he flew across the training field, landing heavily on the ground in a cloud of dust.

It was obvious that Naruto really wouldn't hold back if the pain in his side was any indication. Kakashi growled and revealed his Sharingan. He could see the other's movements now, but they were so much faster than they had been in his genin days.

A warm feeling flowed through Kakashi as he saw the improvement Naruto had gained. Six years with Jiraiya had worked true wonders on the blond. His chakra-control was impressive, nearly the same level as Sakura's; even so his speed and agility that could match Sasuke's. He had been dead last at the academy but now he was a perfect example for what you could reach if you worked hard enough.

The next attack pulled Kakashi out of his musings and he began to fight back.

Soon the two males found their rhythm. They had fought side by side so many times that they knew each of the other's moves. The newly found trust they had discovered in the last few days helped them to see through the opponent's plans even better and their former fight became something new; he gained a level unknown to the combatants.

They moved in unison, in total harmony. Every attack of the one was answered with the exact counterpart on the other side. Their bodies moved in a newly formed connection until their close combat gained the quality of something similar to foreplay.

Kakashi tried to get near Naruto, tried to pull him into a tight embrace, covered as trying to pin him to the ground. Every blow was a try to touch the other's body, feel his skin under his fingers. He wanted to show his love, wanted the other to understand_ why _he had done this.

Naruto on the other hand tried to avoid exactly those advances. He dodged more often than he blocked, not letting his… sensei? captain? lover? get near him. He wanted to hurt Kakashi like he had hurt him. It wasn't the body that bled – Kyuubi would take care of that. But the demon couldn't heal the soul, couldn't stop the heart from bleeding. So Naruto wanted to hurt Kakashi's feelings, wanted him to feel let down.

They had fought for about several hours and the sun began to set. Both had landed several heavy blows, bruises were forming on their bodies and blood spilled on the ground.

The men separated after a particularly fierce battle, both panting and trembling.

"I still don't get why!" Naruto yelled, his eyes a glowing red. He had to concentrate to hold the Kyuubi down.

"Why what?" Kakashi panted.

"Why did you put up with me?" Naruto was desperate. He wanted to end this, to end everything. And he was ashamed – ashamed of his growing arousal. After all, sparring had that effect on him… "Why did you play the nice guy, _touched_ me even, just to let me fall afterwards? Didn't you want to get your reward first? I still owe you a blowjob!"

Kakashi was shocked by those words. He hadn't known he had gone that far; he had thought he had the situation under his control, but he seemed to have lost it a while ago. Then his eyes, that roamed over the sweated body of his fox, barely covered by the remaining shreds of his tracksuit, fell onto the other's crotch. What he saw there revived his hopes. If he just could get near Naruto once again…

"I'll finish this!" he growled and disappeared from sight.

Naruto looked around, extending his chakra to register even the slightest hint of where Kakashi was. He couldn't sense the other and became nervous. As long as he didn't know what his opponent was up to, he couldn't plan his defense.

He had realized the nature of their fight, had realized the sexuality of the act; his throbbing erection was the ultimate evidence! But he didn't want to fall for the other man again, one time already seemed to be one time too much. He didn't allow his grief to get the best of him – he canalized his emotions into anger, determined to land a hard blow against the other.

But the next thing he felt was the attack that would end this fight – to his disadvantage.

Kakashi broke through the ground under Naruto's feet, exactly like the blond had done in the chunin-exams so many years ago. His hands fixated the fox's head and he activated his Sharingan, caught the defenseless boy in a genjutsu.

Naruto wasn't able to move, the jutsu had caught him immediately and his angry eyes glared at the crestfallen man in front of him. He had to fight down the urge to access on the Kyuubi's chakra, but he wouldn't go down on his word.

So he was caught motionless, Kakashi penetrating his personal space. _Penetrating? Nice choice of words, dobe,_ Naruto thought dryly.

He was anticipating the final move, waited for the older male to announce his defeat. But he definitely had _not_ expected the other to lower his mask and kiss him. He kissed him with nearly brutal strength, forced his lips open and plundered his mouth. The kiss was full of emotions Naruto had thought would have died as the ramen-contest had begun.

Kakashi crushed his lips onto Naruto's plump lips, their teeth meeting awkwardly, but it didn't matter. He pushed all his love into this kiss, forced the feelings to fight the wall Naruto had built around him.

He had to heal the wounds he had caused, had to show the other what his true intentions were. While he was still kissing the other Kakashi released the genjutsu, expecting the blond to pull back, to hit him hard, but nothing happened.

Naruto felt the effects of the genjutsu disappearing, but he wasn't able to move all the same. He wasn't able to fight back the emotions the sudden kiss had awakened. What was it the other had planned?

As the attacker had realized that the blond didn't struggle, he broke the contact of their lips and took a step back. Completely defenseless Kakashi presented Naruto his whole body to attack, didn't hide any weaknesses. In no way submissive, but in every way trustful he waited for Naruto to take his move.

But the blond didn't move at all. A heavy silence sank over the field.

Once again, Kakashi took the initiative.

"I don't care about any blowjobs you may or may not 'owe' me. I don't play the nice guy, did never. I may hide my face, may hide _me_ behind that mask, but I _did _reveal me to your eyes, didn't I?"

"Pfft!" Naruto tsked. "You'd have done that to the whole village a few hours ago, so that isn't really a point there."

"Do you really think I could have done that?"

"It doesn't matter what I think anymore, Kakashi." The young man stood straight, but his voice was low and full of betrayal. "I don't believe in what I think. I recently learned that's a big mistake to make. Guess I have to thank you for that."

The last time Kakashi had heard that tone in the usually cheerful voice was as Naruto had awakened from his coma he had fallen into after the escape of Sasuke.

"Listen to me, Naruto." The grey-haired ninja tried again. "I had to make sure you wouldn't become weak. I didn't want you to forget your ninja-way, didn't want to watch you lose what you have gained while being with Jiraiya-sama. You are so much stronger than anyone in this village, even stronger as Tsunade or Jiraiya. You have surpassed Sasuke! You had a goal, you wanted to get Sasuke back – that's what you are. I couldn't let you forget who you are!"

"Oh, is that so?" A cold glare entered Naruto's eyes that weren't sparkling blue anymore. A darker, clouded blue had taken its place. "Thank you for reminding me I'm a ramen-addicted monster. I nearly forgot that because I thought, I had someone that took me as what I was."

"Not what you were, 'Ruto. What you ARE!" Kakashi had trouble not beginning to yell at the stubborn man in front of him. How could a single person be that broken and that stubborn at the same time?

He knew how. You simply had to be Naruto; that great, unbelievably strong, beautiful, cheerful and energized man he nearly had destroyed.

Kakashi saw it now and prayed it wouldn't be too late to save not only their relationship and love, but Kakashi himself, Naruto and maybe the whole village.

_Isn't it ironic that **I **am the one who realizes all those things right now and the one I have all this set up for doesn't? Karma's a bitch! _The Hatake shook his head and tried to think of something he could say to make Naruto understand.

Naruto was captured in his own dark thoughts. It was his childhood all over again. Every time he had thought he had found someone who liked him, this tiniest of all hopes was destroyed and spit on.

Children in his class had played with him, laughed with him until their parents came and dragged them away, hissing at them. "Don't play with him! He's a mo… He is sick and I don't want you to get infected." He would never forget the glares the adults shot at him, ice cold and hating.

He didn't see this glare now, but he knew Kakashi could hide his emotions. Even without his facemask the older male managed to be a mystery to the most. Naruto had really believed he was different. He had really believed Kakashi had feelings for him. How dense.

_The bastard was right! I **am **a dobe. Figures… I guess he would have laughed his ass off._

Kakashi seemed to fight for words. Words Naruto didn't even want to hear. He just wanted to turn around, wanted to get away from the man he had thought of as his other half, as four words flew through the silent night.

"Naruto, I love you!"

############################


	9. Chapter 9

Improvement Chapter 9

"Naruto, I love you!" He hadn't said that. He couldn't have said that!

"Naruto, I love you!" _I haven't said that. I can't have said that!_

Both men wore an equally thunderstruck expression, none of them able to conceive what had happened between them.

Naruto was the first to show a reaction. His fist flew in a wide curve and connected with Kakashi's jaw. The chakra-fueled blow sent the man into the air. He hadn't even realized what had happened until he nearly hit the floor. In a quick turn he brought his feet down and absorbed the fall.

"What…?" His hand rubbed his aching jaw.

"You're one to ask, asshole!" The jinchuriki could barely contain his anger. He wanted to hit the man again, wanted to crush his lips. He just wasn't sure if he should use his fist again – or if his mouth would be the better option. His azure eyes locked with Kakashi's Sharingan, hoping to find a decision. But the memories of another man wielding those crimson eyes didn't help to organize the pros and cons.

Kakashi saw the indecisiveness in the cerulean orbs and closed his swirling Sharingan, forcing the other man to look him in his natural eye. "It's me, 'Ruto. I'm not him!"

"You sure about that?" Naruto's voice was hardly audible. "You acted like him. You even used the same words he used before he betrayed me."

"There's a difference." The Hatake felt safe to approach the other again. Standing before him he laid his hands on the blond's trembling shoulders, feeling the tension in his muscles. "I mean it!"

They stood like that for several minutes, not moving an inch. Their eyes had the conversation none of them was able to vocalize until the first stars popped up in the dark sky.

"Let's go home." Naruto whispered and pulled Kakashi's mask over his face.

"You mean like in 'together'?" The grey-haired man wasn't entirely sure.

"Yeah." The whiskered face was empty, but his fingers twitched as if longing to hold the other's hand.

The walk was done in silence. The men weren't touching, but they searched for the other's presence nonetheless.

############################

Back at the apartment Naruto motioned Kakashi to sit on the couch while he prepared some tea. With two steaming cups in his hands he settled down opposite of the other man, handing him his cup.

"I still don't know what to think, Kakashi." He confessed, trembling fingers curling around the hot porcelain to calm the motions.

"And I still don't know how to show you what I meant." The jonin was out of words. If his actions and his former statements – one in particular! – hadn't reached the blond, what was he supposed to do now?

Naruto seemed to be zoned out again, his lips were moving but the words were inaudible. Kakashi resisted the urge to uncover his Sharingan to be able to translate the motions; he hadn't even pulled his mask down. Would Naruto be mad if he did? The thin layer of fabric was kind of a trigger at this point.

"A few days ago you begged me to look at you, to see you." Naruto looked up, returning to the conversation with all his attention.

"I remember." Kakashi said, waiting for the other to continue.

"You let me see then. Would you let me see you now, again?"

Slowly the grey-haired man revealed his whole face, stripped down his hitai-ate followed by his mask, until he felt naked again, even with his messed up uniform still on. His glance locked with cerulean orbs. "Can you see me now?" Kakashi hoped, he _prayed_ Naruto would see the truth in all his words.

Naruto watched the other's movements as he once again exposed the hidden face to his view. The action had something private, nearly intimate. It was as if Kakashi was exposing his inner soul as well.

The blond was enchanted by the silver-haired man's personality once again and finally the spoken words sank in.

He understood what the ANBU-captain had intended with his actions; what the contest had been for, why the sparring had been as physical as it had been, what his explanations had meant and the truth in the other's confession.

Naruto's heart swelled with this knowledge and a silent tear ran down his cheek. A single tear that mingled with its counterpart that rolled down Kakashi's pale skin. They mingled as Naruto had pressed his forehead against the other male's, breathing in his scent.

"'Kashi, I'm sorry for what I've said."

Kakashi was relieved. Not only relieved – there wasn't a word that could describe how he felt at this moment.

His Naruto had forgiven him! He sat on his thighs, straddling him and pressing their faces together!

The older male brought his hands to the boy's back and stroked him in soothing motions. Muttering calming words he felt the tension leave his love's body and he relaxed against the man's frame.

Exhaustion crept over them and they sank to the side, spooning on the couch.

"Naruto, I'm sorry too." Kakashi whispered sleepily.

"Not Naruto!" The blond grumbled. "It's 'Ruto again, 'kay?"

The copy-nin smiled and nodded. "'Kay, 'Ruto! I'm sorry for that, too."

They smiled a little more, than stood up and went to the bedroom.

Kakashi stopped on the way and shook his head. "We can't go to bed in this condition!"

Naruto looked at him confused. Then he realized they still were covered in dust and sweat. "I know exactly what to do against that!" A cocked eyebrow answered him. "Don't play so innocent! It's shower time!"

The thought of a shared shower cubicle had something intriguing. All the more when one thought of what had happened in that room a few hours ago. A few hours that already felt like an eternity. But Kakashi knew their relationship had grown with the events of the day.

"Now we're talkin'!" Kakashi grinned and dragged Naruto to the tiled room, undressing him on his way there.

As they entered the small chamber, they both were naked once again. The men stood in front of each other and let their eyes roam the exposed bodies. Although their fight had been hard and desperate, the men were nearly unharmed, only a few small bruises showed the fierceness of their battle.

"Have I told you that you are beautiful?" Naruto whispered huskily.

"Maybe, but feel free to do it again!" Kakashi snickered. "But have I told you that you're totally hot?"

"I can't remember…" Naruto scratched his chin playfully. "There was this situation when you definitely have shown me what you think of my body." His member twitched at the memory. "And I still owe you…"

Kakashi groaned in anticipation as the blond dragged him nearer and pressed their heated skin together from hip to chest. Together they climbed in the shower booth and turned on the water.

Man-made rain poured down on them and washed away the remains of their sparring. Sweat and dust vanished into the drain and the men ground their bodies against each other once again.

Searching fingers found the soap and Kakashi began to clean Naruto's skin. Soothing hands roamed over the toned body, explored every tiniest bit of skin. The blond moaned; enjoying the relaxing massage he was getting. And his boyfriend made sure he would relax!

As he was pleased with the state of cleanliness and relaxation his love had reached, he turned to turn the water off. Naruto's hands stopped him and intertwined their fingers.

"As I said, I owe you!"

Taking the soap he repeated the cleaning motions on the other's body. Probing fingers stroke every bit of pale skin they could reach; strong hands kneaded tensed muscles and roamed over Kakashi's sexy body.

Special diligence Naruto put on the pelvis of Kakashi. Rinsing every remaining of the bubbly suds, he stroked the half erect member to full life. The silver-haired man groaned deeply. "'Ruto…"

Naruto relished in this sound, planning on hearing more of it. He sank down on his knees, his tongue following the strong abdominal muscles of his love, until his chin brushed against Kakashi's awakened arousal.

"You don't have to…" The man tried again, but fell on deaf ears.

"I want to, 'Kashi. Please let me! I may have done this just once, but I'm eager to learn!"

Without waiting for another argument, Naruto opened his lips and engulfed the throbbing length. The wet flesh filled his mouth with Kakashi's flavor, freed of any soap or sweat. It was pure Kakashi and Naruto was addicted.

Pushing his tongue between the foreskin and the fervid head he let his tongue play around the swollen glans. The reactions he earned urged him on to continue his ministrations.

Kakashi moaned in pure bliss and his cock oozed from lust.

Slowly Naruto began to swallow more of his boyfriend's impressive length, eager to eat it wholly. As the thick head reached his throat the blond choked.

"Slowly, love!" It was difficult to form coherent sentences, but he tried. "Ro…Uuuhhhmm! Rome wasn't built… Tsssss! In a day!" Definitely difficult… "Stop there and… AAaahhh! Try again another ti-hhmmmmm!... time."

With the time it wasn't only difficult to talk in coherent sentences, it became difficult to simply stand on his legs, too. And he had to make sure he wouldn't buck into Naruto's mouth.

Slowly his pulsing cock was released of the wet sin that was Naruto's mouth and the blond spoke.

"Am I doing this right?"

"You sure are, 'Ruto! I'm already so close! I love how you swallow my cock, how you love to take my big cock into your dirty mouth!" Sometimes he just couldn't hold back his slutty tongue, but who would blame him with this sight? Naruto's face was flushed with excitement and lust, his own cock was hard and leaking clear liquid.

"Mind me making you cum?" Naruto's voice was low and hoarse. "Mind me drinking your hot juice? Mind me sucking your cock until you fill this dirty mouth with all you have to give?"

A shiver went straight down Kakashi's spine and had him nearly cumming right then and there. "Oh, 'Ruto! I like your dirty talk!" The man held his dripping cock in front of his boyfriend's mouth, pushing his slick tip against the plump lips. "See what you do to me? I'm leaking! My precum is wasted, washing down the drain! Didn't you want to taste me? Then take me!"

Naruto opened his mouth and sucked the throbbing length into his orifice. Sucking and nibbling he caressed the pulsing cock, enjoying every single second. He hadn't known giving a blowjob would be such an arousing thing to do!

His cerulean eyes wandered up his wet dream's torso, meeting lust clouded eyes above him.

Kakashi stared at him, watching how his oozing cock disappeared into the willing mouth of his beloved blond kneeling in front of him. The man groaned and hissed, mumbling curses and dirty words.

"Take it, cock-addicted fox! Taste my precum, coat your tongue with my essences!"

If it was even possible Naruto got more aroused with every syllable this badass nin said.

The mumbling became louder and more intense, resulting in screams of ecstasy.

Kakashi's world crumbled down. Everything that was left for him was his throbbing sex and the mouth it was enwrapped in. His breathing got heavier, deeper; his moans increased and soon were exchanged with grunting and low growls.

"'Ruto! Naruto! 'Ruto!" he screamed over and over again, finally giving in into his urge to push his cock deeper into Naruto's mouth. The blond managed to resist his gag reflex and let the man fuck his face – hard. He loved the silver-haired sex beast and wanted him to know that.

Pushing his head forward he mastered the task of deep-throating Kakashi's imposing length, his swallowing muscles being stretched by the girth of the intruding flesh.

Kakashi stared in shock – his lover's nose nuzzled his pubes. Naruto had managed to take his whole length! At his second time giving a blow job! That sure was an improvement, but it was so much more. And it was his first time being swallowed wholly.

Naruto's pleased hum vibrated through his cock, reached his balls and continued its journey through every nerve in Kakashi's body.

It was too much! It was way too much!

White lights flashed in his sight and Kakashi screamed. He cried and yelled, gripped his lover's hair to stabilize his stand, tried to not pass out from the orgasm that was approaching at lightning speed.

His sac constricted, pulling his testicles nearer to his body as they sent their package. The boiling hot seed rushed through dark pipes, heating every cell, finally shooting through his pumping cock.

As predicted his juice covered Naruto's sore throat, soothed the slightly aching walls of his esophagus with its warm, sticky consistence. The blond let go of the twitching length, retreated a little bit.

The manhood still buried between his lips pumped great amounts of semen into his body. The unmistakable and unique flavor that was all Kakashi flooded his taste-buds, the white essence was coating his tongue and taking him to bliss.

Naruto sucked Kakashi completely dry, savoring even the last drop of this delicacy. He sucked on the delicious member until it had shriveled to its limb size again.

Kakashi's whole body quivered in afterglow and he was thankful when Naruto finally let go of his over-sensitive penis. It flopped out of its prison and hung lose.

"'Ruto that was…" His voice was raspy from his cries.

"For me too!" the blond smiled excitedly and stood up, stretching his aching legs. It was a good ache and he would make sure he would have the numb feeling in his knees again.

Before he could struggle against the attack of his boyfriend, Kakashi had grabbed Naruto's grown member and stroked it firmly. Now it was the teen's turn to search for a hold before his legs could give in under him.

The older man grinned mischievously and tightened his fist around the throbbing flesh. A few hard strokes, supported by the thrusting of Naruto's hips were enough to release thick ribbons of sticky white fluid. Naruto exploded in Kakashi's hand and sunk into his chest. "'Kashi…"

############################

They lay in their bed, exhausted from the labors of the day, but more than pleased of the day's ending.

Kakashi slipped into a dozing state, as Naruto shuffled next to him.

"'Kashi?"

"Hm?"

"There's somethin' I forgot."

"And what would that be?" Kakashi had trouble to focus on Naruto's words; sleep was far too attractive.

"I forgot to tell you something."

"Hm?"

"I love you."

As the words sunk in Kakashi was wide awake. "Y… You sure?"

"I am, 'Kashi!" Naruto sealed his words with a deep, loving kiss.

"That's good, 'Ruto. 'cause I love you, too." The man blinked. "Want me to show how deep?"

"Shouldn't it say 'how much'?"

"Not in my context. I want to fuck you **deep **into this mattress, bury my cock **deep **in your fine ass." Kakashi chuckled. "Where's the point in putting my cock _much _in your tight hole?"

"It would be fun to fuck me _much_, wouldn't it?" Naruto laughed at the surprised glance his lover gave him. "But not tonight, 'Kashi. I'm tired."

"Right, 'Ruto – I can wait. But not for long!" The ANBU-captain slapped his boyfriend on the firm, blanket covered buttocks. "You have to face the fact that you might wake up with me plundering your back with my dick."

"Only if you get up before me…" Naruto mumbled and let sleep embrace him.

Kakashi wriggled closer, spooned the warm form of the fox-vessel and snuggled his neck. At the same time his reawakened arousal set between the firm ass-cheeks. Smiling, he whispered into the silence. "I'm looking so fucking forward to it!"

############################

Naruto woke up in the depth of the night. He didn't know what had disturbed his sleep, but he had a strange feeling of being observed. Looking around, he scanned his room, but there was no one except him and his lover.

Shrugging, he wriggled closer to the warm embrace of Kakashi and sank slowly back into sleep. His dreams were strange and unsettling, dominated by crimson-red eyes and midnight-black hair.

############################

Neither of them could keep their promise. Once again they awoke to someone's knocking at their door.

"'Wsn?" Kakashi mumbled.

"Dooooooor." Sounded the yawned answer. Bare feet patted to the door. On his way Naruto grabbed one of Kakashi's pants. Not caring to tie them up they hung low on his waist as he opened for whoever tried to destroy his door. "Shizune?" He scratched the back of his head, his hair sticking out in every direction, his biceps flexing at the motion.

"Gnaaaah!" Not exactly the reaction Naruto had expected.

"Hey, Shizune!" She found herself on the couch. She had fainted! How embarrassing!

"I'm sorry, Naruto…" She looked around for the other ninja. Her eyes found him, still half naked. They found Kakashi, too. Half naked, too. She fainted again.

As she regained her consciousness once again she shut her eyes closed, determined to not faint again because of the sight of two fine specimens of the male sex.

"It's alright, Shizune. We dressed!" Kakashi informed her concerned.

Finally the medic-nin opened her eyes a little bit, peeking through her lashes. There was a lot more clothing involved this time, so she deemed it safe to fully open her eyes. "I'm sorry for that! That has never happened before! I can't explain why that happened…"

Kakashi had his theory about the air being filled with pheromones and testosterone, hints of the lust that had sated the atmosphere the last night. That added to a sleepy Naruto, nearly undressed, with a hoarse voice and his out of bed look – who could blame the kunoichi?

Naruto entered the room and handed the guest a steaming cup of tea. "What brings you here?"

"Tsunade-sama sent me. Kakashi," she addressed the older male. "You have to return to your ANBU-duties immediately. You team has its first mission, starting today. Shikamaru can't fill your place because he is needed in the village – we expect an attack."

Kakashi nodded seriously, Naruto acted according to his nature. "WHAT?"

"Calm down, Fox!" The remembrance of his ANBU-rank saved Naruto from throwing a tantrum.

"Hai, Wolf-taichou!"

############################

Team Wolf had gathered at the ANBU headquarters and waited for instructions.

"Team Wolf, I need you to stay calm." Ibiki started. "Especially you, Fox!"

Naruto fidgeted, not happy with that statement.

"A missing nin tried to infiltrate the village last night. We don't know if he was successful, but we know he didn't get what he came for."

Sakura looked up. "Do we know who it is?"

"Yes." The commander's voice was low. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Kakashi felt his boyfriend stiffen as Naruto's world fell apart. He returned to the last night, relived once more what his dreams had shown him.

############################

"Uzumaki Naruto, long time no see." The stoic voice of the missing nin pierced the apocalyptic landscape they stood in.

"Sasuke…" Naruto couldn't believe the other was here.

"So you still know my name? That's nice to know." The Uchiha stepped into sight. "I have thought you'd have forgotten me, dobe."

"What do you want, teme?" The blond hissed, following the traitor's every move.

"I wanted to see you! Reminisce about the good old times, dig up some friends and lift a pint. You know, all the fun stuff we did back then!"

"We did nothin' o' that!"

"Hn."

Naruto took his fighting stance, facing the raven. "I don't have time for your games, Sasuke."

"You better take the time, dobe!" The Uchiha activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. "Because this may be the last minutes you have!"

"Ts!" The blond snorted. "You really think I'm afraid of you and your fancy patterned eyes? You're pathetic!"

"We'll see who the pathetic one is." Sasuke mocked. "I saw you train with Kakashi-'sensei'. By the way, send him my love! His Mangekyou isn't what he thinks it is. Silly little dimension thing; it's as pathetic as you, fox-boy."

Remembering the Kyuubi Naruto tried to access his chakra, but he wasn't able to reach it.

"Not in this world, Naruto-kun. And without the demon you won't be able to resist me. I'll crash you!" His voice was filled with hatred. "And after that, I will kill the useless excuse of a man you call your boyfriend."

"Won't happen!" Naruto growled and began to struggle against the chains that tried to tie him up.

"This may be your little world, your little genjutsu, but I'll totally beat you up!" He screamed and freed from the ties.

Sasuke cocked a surprised brow. "Quite impressive, dobe. I haven't thought you would be able to escape my little trap. But that makes this even more entertaining!"

He loosened his katana and took his stance. "You know, you can't leave this world, dobe. Not until I let you and that is not part of my plan. In the contrary: I will kill you, pierce your chest as I pierced Kakashi's. I'll rip your heart out and eat it in front of your eyes. You will beg me to stop, you will cry and crawl in the dirt as the little insect you really are." Sasuke laughed devilish. "But before I'll do all that, I will take what's mine. I will mark you as my property, I will claim your body and your soul, before I rip both apart!"

Naruto heard the words, heard the voice explaining what the man planned to do, and he was scared. He wouldn't say that aloud, wouldn't even show that, but he felt the ice cold shiver in his heart. Was that really Sasuke? _His _Sasuke? The man he had trained for – the man he would have given his life for to save him?

"I can't believe you became this lame excuse of the man you once were, Uchiha." Naruto spat. "You talk about ripping me apart, take me, claim me; but it's nothing than empty words and phrases. You could have had me, could have claimed me all those years ago, but you chose another path. I chased you for so long! Wanted you for so long before I finally realized it wasn't you that I wanted. I just wanted somebody… Anybody!" The blond breathed hard. "But I changed. I moved on, became stronger. I improved! And see what it got me! I'm in love, Sasuke. I really love and I _am _loved.

I don't need you anymore. Not for me. But I won't stop to go after you, want stop to drag you back to where you belong."

Sasuke appeared right behind him, grabbed his arms and locked them behind his back before he could even blink.

"**This **is where I belong!" Strong hands slashed Naruto's pants, leaving bleeding scratches. A finger penetrated his anus and rummaged in his gut, sending piercing pain through his entire body. "This is where I will sink myself into. I will fuck you, Naruto. I will be your first and your last. Nobody wants you after I filled you with my cum. And to prevent you from a life without love I will slice your throat while I take you again and again. While you scream my name I will pump my sperm into you and then I will take your life, smiling."

"You really believe that shit?" The breathed words fanned against his ear shell. Sasuke stared in shock as the Naruto in front of him 'poofed' in a cloud of smoke and another Naruto held a kunai tight against his throat, drawing blood. "I don't think so, Uchiha. And don't forget my words, bastard: I will drag you back – dead or alive. You think you are that strong? That you can destroy me or the village? Don't be too self-confident. You might realize that it's not me who's the insect."

With that he slit Sasuke's throat but couldn't help the tears that fell as the blood of his former best – and only – friend sullied his hands.

############################

"I know what he came for." Naruto informed the others with a hoarse voice. He felt their eyes on him. "He came for me."

"How do ya know that?" Kiba asked, worry in his voice. "Well, I know it's kinda the only explanation, but ya seem to know more."

Naruto chuckled, but the sound was free from any amusement. "He told me. Has some interesting plans with me… Oh, and Kakashi, I should send you his love. Said something about your dimension thing isn't what you expected it to be."

"Do I want to know those plans he has?" Kakashi asked dryly.

"Nope, I don't think so."

Ibiki cleared his throat to remind them of his presence. "After we talked about that I would like to give you your mission."

They nodded. "Hai!"

"Fine. While the other teams will assure the village's safety you will be out there and hunt him down. Hound, you and Akamaru will trail him, you are the best trackers in ANBU. If you catch him make sure he is no longer a threat for Konoha."

Four masked heads shot up and faced the commander. "You know what that means. Arrest if possible, kill if necessary. Can I count on you, Fox?"

Naruto nodded. "Hai, Grizzly!" He felt the puzzled looks of his teammates. "I made a promise and I won't go down on my word. That's my ninja-way."

The seriousness in the blond's voice convinced the other ANBUs of his eagerness and they all sighed in relief. It was hard to see this bond broken, but after the things Sasuke had brought over them all, they knew Naruto had made the right decision.

Kakashi stepped up to the crestfallen boy, took down both their masks and gave him a reassuring kiss. "I'm here, 'Ruto!"

"And so are we!" Kiba called and threw a fist in the air. Even Ibiki smiled.

"Team Wolf – dismissed!"

############################

Four Kibas and four Akamarus dashed through the thick trees of Konoha's forests, followed by four Kakashis, Sakuras and Narutos. The plan was to confuse Sasuke.

One team were the originals, the others were transformed kage bunshins of Naruto.

The Uchiha awaited them at the same clearing where he had fought against Kakashi. His stance was relaxed and self-confident, his katana already unsheathed.

"Ah, a lot of ANBUs. I'm flattered." Sasuke nodded at the original team. "Do you think I'm stupid? My Sharingan identifies your copies, dobe, even when they are transformed!"

"Oh fuck, we haven't thought of that!" Naruto exclaimed, shocked by the new information. "Shall I disband them, taichou?"

"No, Fox, let them be! We may need their support!" Wolf ordered.

Before Naruto could answer Sasuke had started his attack. He strode forward to slash Sakura's throat who barely managed to dodge the fatal blow. "He's fast!" he heard her yell and then she grabbed a kunai to increase her defense.

While the missing-nin still tried to kill the Bear-masked kunoichi, Hound began his attack. At a silent sign he and Akamaru began their Gatsuga (Fang passing fang). A teethed hurricane blew through the trees, aiming for him. Sasuke blocked the attack with his katana and jumped backwards, out of the dog-man-couple's reach.

"Pathetic, Inuzuka!" he mocked and formed the hand signs for his Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire release: Great fireball technique). The flaming ball flew through the air and forced Hound and Akamaru to retreat. He laughed. "Now, who's next?"

"Let me have another try!" Sakura yelled at him and threw a chakra-fueled strike against the missing nin. The Sharingan-wielder dodged again, but hadn't expected the kunoichi to follow his jump. The hard blow hit him in the side and he flew through the air, landing heavily in a splitting tree.

"Nice one, Sakura. You got closer than at any time in our past. Was it as satisfying for you as it was for me?"

"I'm satisfied when you have paid for the things you have done!" The pinkette was angry.

Sasuke laughed again. "Sakura, you are so predictable! You won't kill me, little girl. You don't want to. Don't you remember? You wanted to go with me, all these years ago!"

The girl choked, seemingly afraid of the reaction of her teammates. But they ignored the conversation, tried to get an advantage over the traitor.

Sasuke observed every one of their motions. In the back of his mind he wondered why Kakashi and Naruto hadn't anticipated in the battle yet. He had been sure Naruto would be the first to attack him. But they held back, just observing the fight. _Strange…_ But before he could think about that any longer, the Inuzuka attacked again. _Stupid mutt!_

The Uchiha dodged again, easily, and landed a kick into the swirling whirlwind, obviously hitting Akamaru because the dog flew out of the combined jutsu, yowling. "Inuzuka, your cur waits for his master to pet him!" He kicked again, hitting Kiba full frontal and sent him flying after his dog.

The attacks of the Konoha-nin were weak, but he wasn't surprised. He had known that Sakura was a weak fighter, her only use were her heal-jutsus. The Inuzuka was too dependent on his combination-jutsus and counted on his speed – the Uchiha was way faster.

Again the thought of Naruto and Kakashi crossed his mind. His eyes flew over to them and his breathing stocked.

They kissed! Both had pulled away their masks, leaned against a tree and kissed! How could they kiss each other while their friends were about to lose their lives?

Sasuke fumed. "Kakashi, how dare you?" Hundreds of shuriken cut through the air, piercing the tree the couple had leaned against a split second ago.

"What's wrong, S'uke?" Naruto mocked, using the old pet name he had had for the raven. "Ah yes, this thing about claiming me and such, right? I forgot about that, sorry." He turned his head to Kakashi. "Are you willing to share?"

"This little, delicious ass of yours?" Kakashi licked his once again covered lips, the movement only visible because of the movement of the black fabric. "Never! Either way, it's way too tight for two cocks. You already screamed with only me buried in there!" He chuckled.

"You see, S'uke, that's out of question." Once again the blond turned to his lover and kissed him deeply.

While being distracted by the demonstrations of affection, Kiba finally landed a hit against the raven, shredding his shirt and scratching his arm. The force of the attack snatched away his katana. Sakura caught it out of the air and broke it into tiny fragments.

Sasuke's blood boiled. They were making fun of him! And, even worse, Kakashi was taking – already _had _taken – what was meant to be broken by him! He yelled in anger, screamed for revenge.

"Naruto, come over here and fight me!"

"Ehrm… No." Naruto only broke the kiss for a short second.

"Dobe! That was not a question! Come here and let me kill you!"

"Now, now, teme. Don't you see I'm busy? That's called foreplay. You should try it some other time…" Again he cuddled with his lover, tightening the embrace. "You know, 'Kashi, I can't get in the mood with S'uke watching us. Call me prude, but I'm not into exhibitionism."

"Sasuke, would you please show some manners and stop watching us making out?" Kakashi addressed the raven-haired, red-eyed traitor. "You know, I'd love to get rid of these clothes and pound my little fox into this big tree over here, but with watching you that won't be possible. You heard my foxy." He sighed. "And while you're watching I can't even take my mask away to suck Naruto off. You should hear him screamin' my name when I take him all the way in! Well, it has nothing on his screams when I'm fucking him, but it has its own charm nonetheless."

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had seen them lying naked in bed, spooning and cuddled together. He just hadn't thought they were this advanced in their relationship.

Something snapped and the raven fell to his knees. "Naruto, how could you do this to me?"

Wherever he turned his eyes to, he saw a kissing couple; Naruto and Kakashi nuzzling against a tree, dry humping on the ground, stroking their clothed erections sitting on a thick root, even cuddling upside down, hanging on a branch.

Sasuke closed his eyes to shut out the torturing pictures of his property being groped by another man. A man he nearly had called father so long ago.

A lot of 'poofing' sounds filled the air and all except four leaf-shinobi disappeared. At the same time a strange screech pierced their ears and a chakra-fueled cage appeared around the crushed missing nin.

"Naru, how could you do this to me?" Black eyes opened slowly. Sasuke had lost the strength to fight, had lost the will to destroy everything that once had meant something to him. Now he had realized the faults he had done. His eyes lifted and realized the change in his surroundings.

There weren't clones anymore, only three shinobi and the nindog were facing him from outside of the cage. Where was Naruto?

"I'm sorry, S'uke." The blond's voice mended his broken soul, sounding next to his ear. Near enough to let him feel the warm breath.

His head turned. "Naru?"

Amazing blue pierced his glance, looked down through his hard shell, melted the ice cube that had surrounded his heart and warmed the dead presumed organ back to life.

"I'm sorry for what I have done to you today." A warm hand soothed Sasuke's trembling body. "It was necessary to get you back. I didn't meant to hurt you, never did. Let's go back to Konoha. Come back with us and remember who you were before Danzou and Orochimaru had their games with you."

"You think I can?" Sasuke's voice was that of a child. A child who had never had a childhood. A child who had seen more than many grown up shinobi hadn't had to see. "There's nothing I can go back to."

"S'uke, look at me!" Naruto called. Broken orbs met his warm gaze; Naruto could see the tiniest spark of hope lighting up in them. "You have me, S'uke. You have Kiba, Sakura, Kakashi… There are so many people who miss you! Some more than others, that's true, but missing you nonetheless."

"Kakashi missing me?" Sasuke laughed desperately. "After what I said to you last night?"

"He doesn't know, S'uke. I haven't told him."

Disbelieving eyes met him. "You haven't? But why?"

"I gave you my word I would take you back, remember?" Naruto smiled a sincere smile. "I had to make sure I would have any help that I could get! And who would be better as my beloved boyfriend?"

A hurt shadow crept through Sasuke's eyes as he remembered why he had capitulated in the first place. "Yes, your over-potent, pervy boyfriend."

Naruto laughed. "He's a super-perv, that's right. But not everything you have heard today was true." His eyes sparkled. "Even if I hope that most of the things _will _happen someday."

"With me?" The tone in Sasuke's voice wasn't very hopeful. That was why he wasn't very disappointed when Naruto shook his head.

"No, Sasuke. I love Kakashi and only Kakashi. What I told you last night was the truth – I _was_ in love with you. Have been for years. But you didn't see me, so I moved on. I have found my other half and I won't lose him."

Sasuke nodded, then smiled. "I'm happy for you. I really am! For you both. Maybe, one day, I will have what you two have, and then we can go on a double-date!"

Both boys laughed loudly. After Naruto had hugged Sasuke tightly, he stood up and left the cage, closing the door behind him again. "I know it's unnecessary, but don't try to get through the bars. They are sated with Kyuubi's chakra and would burn you."

Sasuke nodded. "I won't. I have lost my war six years ago as I let you go. I won't lose the chance to regain a life!"

He just hoped the Hokage would let him proof his newly born and indestructible loyalty to the Village Hidden in the Leafs.

############################


	10. Chapter 10  End

Improvement Chapter 10

The four ANBU took the cage and carried it back to Konoha. The journey would take some days because they couldn't travel at their normal speed since they had to carry the portable prison, but they weren't in a rush either.

Naruto had summoned a toad and sent it to Konoha to inform the Hokage about their success.

"Want anything to add?" The blond asked their prisoner. Surprised eyes looked up.

"Well… yeah…"

"Go on, what is it? Gamakichi wants to go."

"Would you tell Tsunade that I'm sorry?" Sasuke's voice was low but determined. His glanced at the big, red toad. "Please tell Tsunade-sama that I'm on my way home and that I don't plan to fuck things up more as I already did. Whatever punishment she will impose on me will be fine. I am determined to show Konoha my loyalty, if the village will comply with that."

Gamakichi nodded and turned around to Naruto. "You are a special person, Naruto. No one on Mount Myoboku had ever believed this spoiled brat would return. You disabused them and I am impressed by the change the Uchiha has gone through." Without further ado he took off, heading to Konoha.

"Hey, dobe!"

"Don't call me that, teme!"

"Make me do!"

The bantering was nothing the group wasn't familiar with.

"Well, he **could**!" Kiba snickered while Sasuke's eyes darkened.

"Mutt!"

"Duckbutt!"

Naruto liked the sight. His best friend was already on good terms with his former best friend and even Kakashi seemed to have forgiven the raven – if their long talks at night while Kakashi's watch were any indication. Both men were unaware of the fact that Naruto had heard every word they had exchanged while their nightly conversations.

They talked about their past, about Sasuke's motivation for joining Orochimaru, about how he killed the snake and about the time after when the raven had hunted his brother.

"And after you got rid of that crackpot?" Kakashi wanted to know why Sasuke had been after Naruto.

"Itachi told me something, before I 'killed' him." Sasuke's voice was low and full of regret. "He had observed me, all these years. He saw me growing up, going to the academy. He saw me train to gain the strength to kill him – and he supported me from the shadows, created challenges and brought important people into my life."

Kakashi's one visible eyebrow rose. "How did he do that?"

"You know Itachi had killed the whole clan – it had been the elder's order and even the third Hokage couldn't avert it. But he promised Itachi he would make sure I wouldn't be hurt. That wasn't enough for my aniki and so he begged the Sandaime for something." A short pause, silent snickering. "Yes, he begged! Damn, Kakashi! Stop laughing, asshole!"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke! But a begging Uchiha? I'd love to see that!" Kakashi's grin was audible, even through the canvas that was Naruto's tent.

Sasuke didn't seem too eager to continue the conversation. Naruto wouldn't have that; he had to know what it was that Itachi had told his brother!

"Ah, come on, teme! Don't stop when you come to the interesting parts!"

"Naruto?" Kakashi cocked his head to the side – and created an absolutely loveable sight! Naruto kissed him.

"Hn, dobe." Sasuke glared out of his cage. "That's none of your business!"

"That's what you say." Naruto stated. "You see… Itachi and I, we had our own little thing now and then. Never wondered why the Akatsuki were nearly untraceable?"

Sasuke's glare changed, lost his Uchiha-ish death-glare and became more interested in what the blond may have to tell. "Why is that?"

"No, no, Sasuke. Now it's your turn to talk!" Naruto sat down next to Kakashi and waited for the Uchiha to continue.

"Hn." The Uchiha-glare was back. "Itachi wanted to be able to watch over me, so the Sandaime granted him access to the village every now and then, as long as he wouldn't get detected. As soon as the Akatsuki became aware of his sudden disappearances, he had to think of something else that would grant my safety and my training. He went to the Hokage with a request."

Two pairs of eyes were focused on the trapped raven.

"He wanted you to be my sensei." Sasuke locked with Kakashi's glance. "He wanted the famous Sharingan no Kakashi to be my sensei, knowing that you would be the only person who could help me activate my Sharingan."

"That's why the Hokage had absolved me from ANBU." Kakashi mused.

"Right. And my aniki had another request for my team. Just one more." Black eyes met cerulean. "He wanted you to be with me, Naruto."

"ME? But, but, but… Why?" Naruto could understand that Kakashi had been demanded. He was a famous and talented shinobi with the power of the Sharingan. But Naruto? He had only been a brat, a hated child that didn't know what he was hated for.

"He had seen us growing up, alone and separated. He had seen our encounters at the canal, had seen how we built up some strange kind of friendship." Sasuke fidgeted on the ground of his cell. "He had seen something between us that we hadn't even began to realize. That **I** couldn't see until now. He had known that you would become stronger than me and he wanted me to follow suit."

Naruto laughed. "What disappointment to see that I was the one emulating you!" He turned to Kakashi. "Now I understand what he had meant then!"

Suddenly Naruto found himself in the center of the attention. "What?"

"That's what I wanted to ask." Kakashi stated. "_What_ had_ who_ meant _when_?" The man repeated the sentence in his head. It didn't seem correct, but the question was understandable.

"Oh, sorry!" The blond scratched the back of his head as he did so often when he was nervous. "I took you for Jiraiya and he was with me as we met Itachi…"

Usually Kakashi would have thrown a tantrum to be mistaken for Jiraiya of all people, but he stayed calm, wanted Naruto to explain what he had told.

"It was three years ago. Ero-sennin and I were in a small town in the Earthcountry. We trained a new jutsu outside of town, as suddenly a man with a black cloak went by. He wasn't the first Akatsuki we had seen and he wouldn't be the first we had killed, but as he turned around I thought it was you for a moment!"

############################

"Once again, Naruto!" Jiraiya was adamant. "If you don't concentrate on your chakra-control you'll…"

"Cut it, pervy-sage!" Naruto wasn't far from losing his patience. "If you would just ONCE focus on my training we could already be back in Konoha. And you know that there are the most beautiful women at the hot springs…"

That gained him at least a short time span of attention.

"That's the spirit, Naruto! I told you you would manage that jutsu in no time if you'd just focus!"

Just as Naruto wanted to throw his well treasured tantrum – he had worked on it for quite some time now – his breath caught. "Sasuke…"

Jiraiya flew around and stared at the blond. "What did you say?"

The jinchuriki pointed at a man in a black cloak, decorated with red clouds. "Sasuke is in the Akatsuki." His voice was low and empty. That made Sasuke a deadly enemy…

"That isn't Sasuke." The toad sage stated. Before Naruto could express his relief that it wasn't the person he tried to save that he would have to kill, Jiraiya continued. "Don't cheer too much, Naruto. This is Uchiha Itachi."

_So this is the man Sasuke wants to kill. He is the reason Sasuke went to Orochimaru._ The fox-vessels eyes glowed red. "I'll kill him!"

"No, you won't." The voice was dark and dangerous.

The man Naruto wanted to kill had vanished from sight. The blond searched his surroundings, as did Jiraiya. But there were only some crows sitting a few meters away. Then, those crows flew up and headed for the shinobi. Out of nowhere, Itachi reappeared in the middle of the black birds, knocked Jiraiya out and tied Naruto up; all in the blink of an eye.

"I see…" It was the same voice.

"I don't!" Naruto hissed, struggling against the ropes fixing his arms to his sides. "What do you see?"

"Sasuke isn't strong enough yet."

"What business do you have with him?" The jinchuriki asked. "Leave him alone! And he **is **strong, believe it!" He couldn't help but defend his friend, even if he wasn't there with him.

"I could beat you. That means, he is not strong enough."

Again the dark haired man vanished. A cloud of black feathers swirled, the crows appeared again and flew away. As they disappeared from sight the robes around Naruto's body released and he fell to the ground. _What did he mean?_

############################

His audience stared at him. "Huh?"

"You never told me you have met Itachi!" Kakashi said.

"You never asked…" Naruto didn't know what the big deal was. He had met him, hadn't understood what that had meant and had continued with his training.

"Dobe, what did you mean as you said you knew why the Akatsuki were untraceable?" Sasuke asked, not wanting to have the couple arguing about nonsense.

"Ah, well… Jiraiya and I killed a lot of them. Some of the big guys, a lot of minions… Whenever we saw them they had quite a hard time." Pride was swimming in his voice. "Crazy people I tell you! Some of them were really creepy! There was this guy who looked like a giant Venus flytrap. Strange guy, all black and white, but these huge leaf-things around his head." Naruto was lost in his memories.

"Well, since you are awake you can take the next watch and I'll go to bed." Kakashi stated and went to the tent. "And remember: Tomorrow the mask comes out again. And we need to hide the cage!"

"What about I cover it in kage bunshins?" Naruto suggested.

"Yeah, inconspicuously…" Sasuke snorted.

"It's better than carrying you crosstown!" The blond defended his plan. "At least no one will be able to see what's inside. Even the Byakugan will be confused with that many chakra-networks surrounding you."

Kakashi nodded. "Good plan, Naruto. We'll do that!"

Naruto threw a triumphant grin at Sasuke. "Who 'hn's' now, teme?"

"Hn."

"Okay, you won."

############################

The return to Konoha was conspicuously inconspicuously. No additional guards, no crowd at the gates, nothing. Only Kotetsu and Izumo were greeting them, eyeing the strange cube that some Naruto-clones formed.

"Present for Tsunade!" Naruto called. "She simply can't get enough of me…"

"What is this ridiculous…" Tsunade yelled. "Come in, now!"

After the door to her office was closed and Shizune had sealed the whole room to prevent eavesdropping and peeking, the bunshins disappeared and revealed the chakra-fueled cage to the curious eyes of the present shinobi.

"Uchiha Sasuke." The Hokage hissed at the same time as Jiraiya.

"Uchiha. Didn't think we'd meet again." The toad sage held a safe distance, eyeing the last of the Uchihas cautiously.

"Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama." Sasuke bowed before them. "I know these aren't the best circumstances, but I'm glad to see you both again."

"Before we will decide what to do with you I want to hear the mission report. Wolf!"

Kakashi nodded and began his report.

############################

"Okay, team. That's a tough one! Don't forget it's Uchiha Sasuke we have to find and fight."

His teammates nodded. "Hai!"

"Our plan has to be perfect. Complicated enough to calculate every possibility but simple enough to be able to react to something unforeseen. He **is **an S-rank missing nin **and **an Uchiha, possibly the most powerful Uchiha ever." Kakashi began to work on a plan. Soon Kiba and Naruto couldn't follow any longer, it had been way too complicated. Instead they mumbled and whispered, not paying any attention to their team captain.

"Is there any problem, _Fox_, _Hound_?"

"Well… Actually, there is." Kiba confessed. "You lost me at the 'Mangekyou-illusion combined with Sakura's genjutsu and Naruto does his Rasengan-thing and…'. Yeah, that's where I was lost."

Naruto nodded. "And you mustn't forget: This is still the teme we're talkin' 'bout!"

"What do you mean with that?" Kakashi was angry. He had a plan and they didn't even listen. He _liked_ his plan!

"I'm sorry, taichou, let me explain." Naruto shifted into ANBU-mode. "Hound and me, we talked about something. We know the target, he grew up with us and was trained by you; that's an advantage for us. And since I know him better than anyone else does, I spoke with Hound about one of Sasuke's characteristics. We know he's a possessive bastard, right? And thanks to his visit last night, we know what he's after, too. He's after me!"

Kiba nodded seriously. "Taichou, we can use this! You and Fox are close and Sasuke knows about that, he used the knowledge against you. And we can turn the table. We need something that seems like a simple plan, something that makes him think we have only come up with that one master plan. We have the dobe in our team – it has to be really, really stupid."

"Hey! HEY!" Naruto cuffed him in the shoulder. "Anyway, Hound is right. Let's come up with a good plan that has a weakness. Something that could be missed in the stress of the situation. When he falls for that Hound and Bear will attack him to distract him, you and I will hold back. At some point Sasuke will realize we aren't fighting him, what will make him think about that. That's when we'll start to make out."

Kakashi didn't like his old plan that much anymore.

But the expected screams and yells started immediately.

"Naruto, you are sick!" Sakura.

"You can't be serious!" Kakashi.

"Kiba and I risk our lives so you can fuck our captain?" Sakura again.

"I can't believe you really said that." Kakashi.

"Listen to the explanation!" Naruto.

"Sasuke sees Naruto as his property. If someone else was touching what was meant to be his, it will make him crazy." Kiba finally explained.

"And that is good for us because…?" Sakura asked confused.

"If he really ticks out, Naruto can make sure he breaks. Naruto can make him see his faults, his weakness. But Sasuke has to lose the walls he built up around him. Seeing Kakashi – the one man Sasuke has seen as a father – kissing what Sasuke craves, that may destroy the walls. And seeing that our taichou is a known pervy, he sure knows some things to say that may help our cause."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "I see! This could work…"

Even Sakura seemed convinced after she had thought about the plan. "And you're sure that you know Sasuke that good, Fox?"

"Ask that yourself, Bear." Naruto smiled behind his mask. "How good do we know the bastard?"

"But there's still the problem with the 'master plan'." The pinkette reminded and the team turned to face their captain.

"Oh, you kids remembered who the tactician is? Nice!" But Kakashi already had a plan in mind. "Fox, you will create four clones for each of us and transform them into us. Sasuke will think you were using your old fighting-tactic of 'a lot against one alone'. He will be able to identify the originals and he will let us know how stupid we were to think he would fall for that."

Naruto nodded approvingly. "To forget something like that about his Sharingan is **so** me! Actually, I _really_ forgot about that."

"No surprise here." Kiba deadpanned.

"And what after Sasuke goes bananas?" Kakashi went back to work on the plan. "We'll need something to arrest him in."

"Actually, I have an idea." Sakura said. "Kiba and I could build something to capture him in. I know the Inuzuka-clan has a lot of knowledge in detaining people and I _am _the trap-specialist. The only thing missing would be a great amount of chakra to boost the cage with. That's where Naruto and Kyuubi come in."

"That's great, Sakura! Begin the construction; I have a plan how to get Sasuke into that cage. I'll use my Mangekyou to transfer the thing into another dimension and when the Uchiha is down I'll summon it back." Kakashi looked at the other ANBU and a warm, proud feeling filled his chest. "I'm proud to be your captain, guys! You are great shinobi and I can't believe how much you have improved in the last years…"

Their fight had worked out as planned and soon Sasuke had flipped out. His rage had radiated from him in waves and Naruto had seen his chance. He had made his clones look like him and Kakashi and they had been making out as far as the eye could see.

Kakashi had summoned the prepared cell and the mission was accomplished.

############################

Tsunade had trouble holding back her laughter. That was her brat!

Jiraiya didn't even try to hide his amusement. "Great plan, Naruto! I am so proud!"

Even Sasuke grinned, despite that he had been at the receiving end of the ruse. Now he knew how he could have been gulled.

"Sasuke." The Hokage addressed the captive. "You will understand that I can't and I won't welcome you with open arms. You will be held in prison until your trial."

"I know, Hokage-sama. I am determined to do anything to regain the trust of the village." The Uchiha said with the promised determination in his voice. "I know there is a long way to go, but I will take every single step."

"I'm glad to hear that, Sasuke. I'm sure the most of your old friends will-"

The busty woman was interrupted by two old shinobi who stomped into her office, slamming the door shut behind them. "I can't believe what I see!" the elder woman screamed.

"Me neither!" answered Tsunade with a fiery glare.

"You have the Uchiha here and no one protects us from the threat this man means for us and the village?"

"Dear elders" Jiraiya begun. "May I inform you that you are in a room with four of the most skillful ANBUs of the village and two sannin? You may come to think that that many people would be able to handle one single missing nin who was disarmed before he was brought here."

The elders didn't seem that convinced, but didn't dare to answer him back.

"I thought so. You are dismissed." Tsunade said, waving the Council members out of her office.

"No, young woman!" The older woman took her stance right in front of Tsunade's desk. "I won't be bossed around by you brat!"

The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "No one calls me brat, old gaffer!"

"No one but me, that is!" The old woman stated and spoke up again. "The Council sent us. There won't be a trial. We have decided that Uchiha Sasuke is to be put in jail until he has made sure the revival of his clan and the Sharingan. After that he will be executed."

Dead silence followed her strictly spoken words.

"Ya're talkin' shit, right?" Kiba hissed. "Ya can't truly believe we'll let that happen!"

Sakura nodded. "There are laws! Even you are subjected to our laws!"

"Laws can be changed." The old man in the woman's company said calmly.

"Not without the Hokage's sanction." Jiraiya whistled and Kakashi added: "And I don't think you will get that – neither for the laws, nor for the execution."

"Tsunade won't be Hokage forever." The Council members said, then turned to Naruto who hadn't said anything yet. "Fox, you are an ANBU, you know your duties. And Naruto, you can't be willing to let the man live who tried to kill you? Who betrayed you and the village?"

The fox-masked man turned to Tsunade. "May I take off my mask? They know who I am and I don't want to talk to them as an ANBU." Tsunade nodded. Naruto turned back to the two elders, mask turned to the side of his head. "I will say this once, and only once. So I want you to listen. Listen and understand. Okay?"

The Council members nodded. "Hai, Naruto-sama."

Naruto snorted. "Cut that! You want me to press charges against Sasuke for attempted murder to be able to sentence him to death, right? Well… Forget it."

The old people stared at him, mouths hanging open. "You won't…?"

"No, I won't press any charges. Uchiha Sasuke and I were training back then." Naruto said calmly. "I didn't know what he was planning. I was hardly more than a child, just wanted to spar with my best friend. The fight got out of hand and I was seriously injured. That may have caused Sasuke to panic and he fled, afraid of what our friends might say. I can't blame him for that; some of our friends are really scary, even today."

Sasuke's eyes met Naruto's and he mouthed a soundless "Thank you!" Naruto shrugged and smiled.

"You see, 'dear' elders, the crime you are longing for never happened."

Tsunade spoke up. "The only things Uchiha Sasuke will be accused for are leaving the village and revealing Konoha's secrets to a known enemy of the Village hidden in the Leafs."

"I haven't told him anything." Sasuke informed the others. "I will swear an oath on that and take any option to prove that."

Jiraiya nodded approvingly. "I will go get Ibiki and Inoichi. Meet me at the court in half an hour." He left the office.

The Hokage clapped in her hands and cheered devilishly. "So there **will **be a trial. I like that! Already missed the little hammer…"

############################

The trial was held and every free space in the court was crowded. No one had known what the threat to the village had been. They had only known every shinobi was on duty and had to protect the village from any intruder.

Now they stood in the court and saw a small crowd of masked and unmasked shinobi shielding the last Uchiha.

The first row of seats in the auditorium was taken by the rest of the Rookie 9 and Neji's team, right behind them sat jonin and ANBU.

Sasuke had taken the place behind the defendant's desk. Right behind him stood Naruto, ANBU-mask firmly in place and observing the audience.

"You'll be fine, S'uke! Baa-chan will make sure you'll get your chance; the Council is bound to the laws as much as we all are – and you will be again." He chuckled.

Sasuke couldn't help a smile that spread over his lips. "Hn. Dobe!"

"Ssshht!" Naruto hissed. "You're not supposed to say my name! The others mustn't know who I am!"

He laughed invisible behind his mask, but his shaking shoulders gave him away.

"Fox, get your ass out of here! You have to give evidence here in a few minutes. But you have to appear as a normal jonin!" Iruka would act as Sasuke's defense counsel, but right now he had to make sure that Naruto would leave the courtroom immediately.

"Uchiha Sasuke; this trial was convoked to adjudge your future in Konoha." Tsunade started the hearing, sitting behind a big desk, her beloved hammer in one hand. "Please step forward; your interrogation will start immediately."

"Uchiha Sasuke, you have left Konoha over six years ago to join Orochimaru's forces, is that right?" Takeshi asked. He was a member of the Council of Elders and represented the prosecution.

"Yes, that is right." No point in lying.

"Is it right that, at that point, you already knew that Orochimaru was not only the murderer of the Sandaime, but a known enemy of the Village hidden in the Leafs as well?"

"Yes, that is right."

"So you planned to join his troupes and destroy Konoha!"

"Objection!" Iruka jumped up and yelled. "Allegation!"

"Right, sorry. I will rephrase it. Did you plan to destroy Konoha and kill all his inhabitants with the help of Orochimaru?"

"No, that isn't right." Sasuke's answers were short and precise, perhaps even enervating, but he _was_ an Uchiha. The raven knew what Takeshi wanted to hear, but he wouldn't say it. He wanted to wipe the slate clean, wanted to rejoin the Rookie nine; he wanted to be one of them, finally free from the desire for revenge. Sasuke wouldn't lie to the village, just to make this trial short or to save his face.

After another hour of insinuating questions Iruka left his place and began his interrogation.

"Sasuke, as you left Konoha; why did you do it?"

Finally! A question where he could tell them more as his short one-sentence-answers. "I left the Village hidden in the Leafs to gain strength." Sasuke looked up into Tsunade's eyes, needed her to see he was honest. "I needed the strength to get my revenge. I sought bloody revenge and Orochimaru promised the strength I would need to kill my brother Itachi for killing my whole clan. In the end it figured I had made a mistake in killing the wrong person."

A nearly dangerous glint lit up in Iruka's eyes as he prepared his next question. "Sasuke, what do you mean, you killed the wrong person?"

Tsunade's eyes showed appreciation as she motioned Sasuke to answer the question. He shrugged. "Itachi hadn't slaughtered the clan of his own free will. It was an ord-"

"Objection!" Takeshi's voice nearly squeaked. "That's not part of this hearing!"

"I fear it is, Takeshi-san!" The Hokage's voice was sickly sweet. "Please continue, Sasuke."

"Hai. It was an order of the Council of Elders who had gained information of a planned putsch of the Uchiha clan." The raven's voice was free of emotions. "They overweighed the Sandaime's veto and had Itachi kill every Uchiha. He spared only me, planned to make me the person who would regain the clan's glory and revive the bloodline of the Sharingan."

The people in the audience as well as the lay judges gasped for breath.

Iruka continued to disassemble the prosecution's position. "Reviving the bloodline… Isn't that exactly what the Council demanded from you before they planned to execute you?"

"Objection! Allegation!" Takeshi was on his feet again. Tsunade ignored him.

"That's right, Iruka-sensei." Sasuke began to enjoy the show. "Just one hour ago two of the Council members informed me in front of the Hokage and several other shinobi that I would be held captive until I had knocked up several women before they would kill me."

"Obj-"

"Shut up!" The Hokage yelled at the Council's lawyer. "I sat at my own damn desk as two of your dear and honorable friends said exactly that to Uchiha Sasuke. They even tried to deny him a formal hearing! Furthermore they suggested to change the laws to their advantage if need would occur."

Another gasped breath whispered through the room. The lay judges wrote something down. Sasuke smirked.

Yamanaka Inoichi was summoned to search the Uchiha's mind for lies he might have told the court. He took his time, talked to Sasuke's subconscious and finally returned to his own body.

"I have searched Uchiha Sasuke's mind for treacherous thoughts and could find nothing except a newly developed but honest loyalty to the Village hidden in the Leafs, his inhabitants and the Hokage. I took the liberty and had a little talk with Sasuke's subconscious after asking for his permission. He told me some things about the progress of this hearing. I'll write it down and you will get the copy to compare the logs. Furthermore I could detect that none of Konoha's jutsus or any jutsu at all was revealed to the snake-sannin Orochimaru."

"Thank you, Inoichi-san." Iruka got the report of the Yamanaka-clan leader and turned back to Takeshi.

"That doesn't change the fact that Uchiha Sasuke tried to kill one of our most promising shinobi at his flight." Takeshi tried to regain some ground.

"I'd like to summon Uzumaki Naruto as a witness." Iruka answered calmly and the doors opened. "Thank you, Uzumaki Naruto, for coming."

Naruto nodded seriously and waited for the questions to begin.

"Uzumaki Naruto, as you followed Uchiha Sasuke as he fled to Orochimaru and betrayed the village, what had you in mind?" Takeshi began.

"In the first place… Ramen! I love ramen and there were only a few situations when I haven't thought of them." Naruto grinned, so did the Rookie 9 and other friends of the blond. "But I thought of Sasuke too. We had planned to spar a little, blow our stack and such. It had been some tough days and we were young and full of energy. Yeah, we just had forgotten to agree on a spot to fight. So I followed him!"

"Yes. You followed him. And on your way, you and some of your friends just happened to kill a few of Orochimaru's elite minions." Takeshi mocked. "You seemed very fond of the sparring!"

"You have no idea! It had been months since Sasuke and I had had a real sparring match!" The glistering in Naruto's eyes told his story of the blond's addiction to training. Some people in the audience laughed lowly, knowing the jinchuriki; Jiraiya let hear his loud horse laugh.

"And your friends were equally obsessed with the training that they managed to kill those enemies?"

"You can ask them, they are all here!" The whiskered boy pointed at the first row of seats in the audience. "But I think they fought the Sound four because they were a threat for the village."

Takeshi paled and sank down on his seat. There wasn't anything he could do.

"Thank you, Naruto." Tsunade motioned him to take a seat in the first row. "The circumstances of Sasuke's return to Konoha are top secret and won't be discussed in public, but subsequent to this hearing the court and the lawyers will meet in the Hokage's office to hear about them. We'll meet again in two hours. Dismissed!"

And finally she could use her hammer.

############################

After Team Wolf had repeated his report of the last mission, the court gathered again. The audience had grown once again and there wasn't a single spot unoccupied.

"Thanks for coming again." Tsunade greeted. "The court has come to a judgment."

The buzzing stopped and every pair of eyes settled on the Hokage.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you are hereby acquitted of the charges that were pressed against you. The details of your resocialization will be discussed later in the Hokage's office.

To the reasons: The hearing had shown not only the Uchiha's loyalty to Konoha but the fatal mistake Konoha has made against him. This interrogation has revealed dark secrets of our 'honored Council of Elders' as well as the deep solidarity between the shinobi we entrust our future to.

I can't say I am happy with what had happened all these years ago. But I am glad with what it had gained us. For this reason we decided to give Uchiha Sasuke the chance to live his life. To finally live a life that is worth being lived."

The audience cheered. Only the Council members rested on their chairs as if trying to not be noticed.

############################

"Sasuke, you will understand that, despite of being acquitted, I can't let you enter any higher rank. You will start as a genin again, which means low-ranked missions. But, and that may cheer you up, you won't be put into a genin-team, seeing they are several years younger and way under your current level." Tsunade smiled. "As long as Kakashi still isn't at his best, you are assigned to one of his team members. The ANBU's task will be to observe your progress on your missions to give me constant feedback on you and your behavior."

The door opened and Naruto entered, followed by Kakashi. "Hey teme! You will be my slave! I'm so fucking dying to go on the first cat-catch-mission with you!"

Sasuke groaned irritated. "The dobe? Oh no! Tsunade-sama, come on! Can I refuse and go into jail instead?"

They laughed and finally Sasuke let go of his stoic mask and flung his arms around Naruto's neck. Nuzzling his friend he shed some tears that were dampening the blond's collar. "Thank you for not letting me down, Naru!"

Naruto patted the raven's silky hair and had to fight his own tears. "It's okay, S'uke! We're friends, right? That's what friends are for!"

Tsunade and Kakashi shared a sympathetic look and then looked into different directions, seemingly unaware of the teary eyes and sobbed words. As the two young men regained their posture Tsunade spoke once again.

"Sasuke, you'll take some lessons on the village's laws. Don't whine, it is your own fault!"

Sasuke's shoulders slumped. "I see. I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I will take these lessons."

"Sure you will, teme!" Naruto laughed. "But they aren't that bad. Just make sure Anko knows you're paying attention. On her hands, that is! She is worse than Jiraiya when it comes to groping…"

"Kakashi, Naruto, you have three days off." The couple looked surprised. "I know what discomfort you took upon your team to retrieve a lost sheep. I am thankful for that and so is the village."

"And the sheep!" snickered Sasuke.

"Yeah, the sheep is thankful, too. So go home and relax! Dismissed!

Kakashi and Naruto didn't wait a second. They performed some seals and teleported right to their apartment.

"That was a long and hard day!" Kakashi sighed.

"I know something else that is long and hard." Naruto leered.

Kakashi blinked.

Naruto leered some more and grabbed his crotch.

Kakashi's brow twitched. "Since when are you the perv?"

"Looks like you are rubbing off." Naruto kneaded his growing bulge. It _had_ been a long and hard day after a long and hard mission. "Just not enough rubbing if you ask me…"

Kakashi gave in willingly. He tugged at Naruto's hand and dragged him onto his lap. "Then it's time for some rubbing, baby!"

############################

"'Ruto, let's do it in the bedroom, 'kay?" Kakashi nearly begged.

"What's wrong with the bathroom, 'Kashi?" Naruto asked, but followed willingly to the bedroom.

"Nothin', but… I plan to do something that needs a little more space as a shower booth can offer."

The blond's eyes grew wider. "You mean we will… Well, you know what we will, right?"

"Yes, 'Ruto. I think we will fuck." Why beating around the bush when being blunt presented you with that cute blush?

"A… Alright! I… I think I can… I can do that, yeah…"

"Naruto, calm down! We'll take our time!" Kakashi stroked the other's back soothingly, pushing him down to sit on the bed. "We will stop as soon as you want to, okay?"

Naruto nodded, his blush slowly disappearing. "I love you, 'Kashi!"

"Love you too, 'Ruto!" Kakashi kissed his boyfriend and pushed them both down until he lay on top of the blond.

Their mouths stayed connected while Kakashi ground his crotch into Naruto's growing arousal. Their pelvises created a stimulating friction that made them groan into the kiss.

"'Kashi! Need less!"

The grey haired man was confused. "Less, 'Ruto? I'm used to something like 'More, Kakashi! Give me more!'"

"Less clothes, idiot! And they say you are the genius among us…" Naruto snickered while he pushed his boyfriend from his body. Flying fingers opened buttons, pulled on zippers and undressed both of them until a naked Naruto straddled an equally naked Kakashi. Wriggling his hips he created a delicious friction.

"'Ruto! Need more!" Kakashi moaned and grabbed Naruto's hips, stopping them from moving. "Do you want to take me?"

"I thought I already have you, 'Kashi." The blond giggled girlish.

"You know what I mean!"

"Then talk to me like a man! I can hear the bad words, take them in my mouth even! Just like I'll take your cock into my mouth and will suck on it until you don't know what to scream instead of my name while your thick cock fills my throat with tons of your juice!"

Kakashi's face grew hot. Naruto's words had filled his head with dirty pictures. But all pictures were forgotten as a hot, wet cave closed around his twitching cock, sucking him like the last time in the shower. "'Ruto!"

Kakashi fidgeted on the sheets. He fought the urge to thrust into his boyfriend's willing orifice, didn't want to make him choke. Then he remembered the deep throat session in the shower again and let go of his reservation. His hips pumped his flesh deeper into Naruto and he moaned pleased.

Finally Kakashi had learned he wasn't made of porcelain! Swallowing the whole length once more the blond nuzzled his beloved's pubes, inhaling the musky scent and tasting the flavor that was one hundred percent Kakashi. Because of the mission and the stress of the day, the aroma was much more intensive than it had been in the shower and Naruto loved it. He absorbed the sensations and groaned louder.

The trembling growl vibrated through Kakashi's whole body and he recognized the first hints of his oncoming orgasm. "Naruto, stop! I don't want to cum in your mouth!" He stopped his thrusting movements and pulled the blond hair mob back. "Tonight is something special…"

"Oh yeah, you mentioned something like that…" Naruto mocked and licked his way up from the silver-haired man's crotch up to his pale and thin but oh so kissable lips. "Something about taking?"

"Naruto, fuck me!" Kakashi earned no blushing with that – the time for shame was over.

"'Kashi, I don't know how." Naruto confessed. "But you _are _my sensei, so you could show me! Please teach me how to fuck another man senseless!"

Mismatched eyes locked with cerulean and Kakashi nodded. "You're lucky, I'll give you a crash course."

The time was right, so was the place. They looked each other in the eyes and joined in another deep, fiery kiss. Slick tongues fought against each other, danced a sinful dance of lust and explored the other's lips, teeth, mouth. Naruto sucked at Kakashi's upper lip while the grey haired man had captured Naruto's bottom lip between his teeth.

Their hands roamed over their bodies, praising the muscular forms and the smooth skin.

"'Ruto, I will start to stretch your hole. I will start with one finger and then we will work our way up. Okay?"

"'Kay, 'Kashi. I trust you!" There was so much love in these words that it warmed Kakashi's heart more than anything else could.

Fishing for the lube he didn't miss to kiss every inch of skin he could reach. It was mere chance that his way led him over Naruto's oozing member! A deep moan rewarded his detour.

Lubing his pointing finger Kakashi worked his way into the puckered hole. Slowly increasing the pressure his fingertip pressed against the pink pucker and broke in. Naruto hissed, but soon his breathing regulated.

"Feels strange." He panted.

"Does it hurt?" Kakashi would stop as soon as it became uncomfortable.

"No, it's kinda nice. Jus' strange!" Naruto lifted his legs into the air to facilitate the access to his ass.

The grey haired man began to thrust his lubed finger in and out of the inexperienced muscle. As the tight embrace around his digit loosened up a little he managed to enter a second finger.

His love hissed again, trying to hide a pained undertone. Kakashi began to retreat from the warm embrace, determined to wait with their activities until Naruto was more relaxed, but the hot ass followed his retreating fingers.

"Don't you dare stop what you are doing!" A strong hand closed around Kakashi's wrist and pulled the fingers deeper into their hot prison.

"It's okay, 'Ruto. I'll go on. But please tell me when it hurts, right?"

"It will hurt if you don't start to fuck me in the next twenty minutes, old man!" Groans found their way back into Naruto's voice as he vocalized his threats.

"That's fine with me, you cock hungry fox!"

A third finger joined his two colleagues and Kakashi began to spread the pink, twitching muscle that was penetrated by his fingers. That had to be the most enchanting view he had ever witnessed!

"'Ruto, you look so damn hot! Your ass winks at me!" He growled. "I will sink my thick cock into your tight ass and will fuck you so deep! I will tear your hungry ass apart!"

"Empty promises, loudmouth!"

"Who's the loudmouth, mister deep throat?" Kakashi asked smirking, slowly adding a fourth and last finger to the preparing team. He really had a big dick and didn't want to hurt Naruto when his cherry was popped.

"Oh, 'Kashi!" Naruto whimpered pleased, working the digits deeper into his innocent backside. "OH 'KASHI!"

_Ah, located!_ Kakashi grinned and tried to memorize the position while stroking the bundle of sensitive nerves again. Naruto arched his back and panted hardly, tossing his head.

"Right there! Oh gods, 'Kashi! What'cha doin'?"

Kakashi took the tube again and began to lube his throbbing cock, stroking the whole length to spread the gel equally. Pulling out his fingers he aligned his lubed member. "You are prepared, Naruto, but it will hurt. I love you and I'll take it, take you, slow. And I promise you, it will get better!"

"Just get it on, 'Kashi! I want to feel you in me! Fuck me!" The blond's voice was longing, demanding.

Kakashi pushed his tip against the stretched, winking hole and pressed. The pressure increased and finally the thick head penetrated the muscle.

Naruto hissed and grabbed the sheets, nearly shredding them with his fingernails. "'Kashi!"

The man stopped and waited for the other to adjust. Eventually the frantic breaths calmed down and returned to pleased pants. "More?"

"Gimme ev'rythin'!" Kakashi would have loved to follow the order right there and then, but he held back his longing. He enjoyed the slow pace, as inch after inch of his throbbing length was swallowed by the unbelievably tight and hot embrace of Naruto's intestines.

"'Ruto, you are so tight! So perfectly tight and hot!" Kakashi moaned, distracting Naruto with his dirty talk. "Your ass swallows my cock. He milks my throbbing dick and sucks it in as your hungry, slutty mouth did!"

The man beneath him had closed his eyes and relished in the sensations the thick manhood invading his body was bringing him.

"You should see your pink asshole eating my cock, Naruto! It looks like you want that every day!"

"I want you, 'Kashi!" Naruto groaned and brought his hands to Kakashi's shoulders. Digging his fingers in the taut biceps of his lover he pulled him down into a fiery kiss. Not until then Naruto had realized that Kakashi's pubes tickled his ass. After breaking the kiss disbelieving eyes caught the mismatched glance. "You are in!"

"I am!" The older man smiled and kissed Naruto again. "I'm completely in you, 'Ruto. I love you!"

They shared an endless second of corny love until…

"'Kashi, m… move!"

Kakashi began with a slow, constant pace, giving Naruto the time to adjust to the new sensation of a thrusting cock in his ass.

The man's shaft stretched the boy's hole, his head ground his inner body and his balls tickled the crevice every time he was sheathed in his rear. Naruto moaned loud.

"You seem to have accommodated, right?" A nod answered. "Then the ride begins, 'Ruto!"

Kakashi retreated until only the thick head of his dick stretched Naruto's anus, then he rushed back in to the hilt. "'Ruto, your body around my cock f-feels great! Can you feel how m… my dick stretches you? You're mine now! I have taken you, I **am **taking you! I am your first cock and I will be your last!"

To emphasize his claim he sucked on Naruto's neck and marked him with several hickeys. Every new bite, every kiss and every peck was accompanied by a hard thrust into the depth of Naruto's willing ass.

"I can… Ah! feel your dick splitting hm!...my body, 'Kashi!" Naruto panted, his fingers digging into his lover's muscles, nearly drawing blood. None of them cared. Both were engulfed in the sensations their fuck presented them with. "Harder! 'Kashi, deeper! More! I need more of you!"

Kakashi lifted his lover's legs until they lay over his shoulders, giving better access to the stretched hole. His thrusts gained more force and he increased his speed. Shifting the angle the grey haired man hoped to find the prostate again.

He found it – dead on. Again and again. The room filled with lustful cries, unintelligible words of bliss, being replaced by uncountable alternatives of Kakashi's name.

"Right… Hng! THERE! 'Kashi! YeaaaaAAAHH! Kaka'! Shi'! SHI!"

Naruto was only a puddle of sex as his lover hit his prostate dead on, again and again. The pain from the start was forgotten, drowned in a sexual ecstasy that was unknown to mankind. The penetrating heat of his sex god's length was addicting and Naruto didn't plan to change his drug anytime soon – if he was planning at all. In the moment he was just screaming. Screaming, trembling, enjoying and happy.

Kakashi couldn't think straight forward anymore, the sensations were too much for his brain. Naruto's tight hole milked his throbbing length at all the right places, the heat seeping through his whole body, his love's cries of ecstasy in his ear – he wouldn't last long.

He grabbed the neglected member bobbing between Naruto's lifted legs and pumped it according to his thrusts. Squeezing he increased his speed one more time, now thrusting into Naruto in high speed. The bed screeched over the floor, bumping against the wall with every movement of Kakashi's hips.

There was nothing left for Naruto. Nothing except the pulsing cock of his beloved Kakashi pounding him into the mattress, their mingling, panting breath and their moans, groans and cries of bliss and ecstasy.

He felt his orgasm approach, saw white stars sparkling in his field of vision. But he focused on his lover's face, framed by his tanned ankles. The love he saw in Kakashi's eyes while he fucked his brain out kicked Naruto over the edge. His screams reached a new level, at the same time as Naruto reached his next level and nearly fainted.

His cock twitched frantically, shooting unbelievably amounts of cum, coating Kakashi's still pumping hand, the boy's stomach, chest and even his face. Thick ribbons of white liquid shot out of the dark-red tip, accompanied by pleased screams.

Naruto's gut was clenching around Kakashi's leaking cock. Since he had begun to kiss Naruto, his dick had produced his own lube that was now covering Naruto's walls.

As the blond reached his climax his walls clenched around the intruder, milking him and trying to hold him right in place. Kakashi continued his thrusts, avoiding the oversensitive bundle of nerves deep inside the blond. He wanted to wait until Naruto was able to think again, wanted to ask him if he should stop. The man knew it could be uncomfortable to be fucked after your own orgasm.

"Why did you slow down?" Naruto managed to ask after a few minutes of near unconsciousness.

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"And I want you to fuck me properly! I want your cum in my ass!"

Kakashi bent forward, licked cum of his lover's face and returned to his former pounding. Naruto yelped pleased with every new thrust, tensing his ass muscles to amplify Kakashi's pleasure.

The older man realized what his younger lover was doing and was overwhelmed by that knowledge. Not only let Naruto complete him in his hot, tight and absolutely fuckable ass, he tried to make it even better. How could he know it already had been perfect before?

It took the man some minutes; minutes he shared with the love of his life, united in the perfect moment. Kakashi buried his pulsing cock as deep in Naruto as he could reach and enjoyed the boiling heat rising from his balls and soon flowing through his whole body. Then: "'RUTO!"

Oodles of cum exploded from Kakashi's tip and filled Naruto's ass. Twitching the throbbing cock released his seed deep into the blond, coating his walls and dripping down along the pumping dick.

"'Kashi, I can feel your essence in me!" Naruto's eyes glowed with joy.

A last thrust of Kakashi's hips spread the white mess equally in the lust canal and the man collapsed onto his lover.

Naruto spread his legs to bring them down, embracing Kakashi between his thighs. "Stay in me, please."

The man nodded smiling and kissed the blond. "I really, really love you! And not just because of your perfect ass."

In said ass the intruding cock began to shrink slowly, but still none of the men planned to leave the other's embrace. Until the limb member flopped out of its own volition they stayed in their position, kissing and nuzzling the whole time.

"Shower?" Kakashi asked sleepily.

"Hm." Naruto wasn't fond of the idea of moving already. He was exhausted and satisfied and just wanted to sleep in his lover's embrace. "'morrow…"

Kakashi settled next to Naruto, threw the blanket over them and was fast asleep before he could give Naruto a kiss.

############################

It was very early in the morning as Naruto woke up. He made an internal check for a sore anus, but Kyuubi had already taken care of that. _Thank you, furry friend! _

His external check held a surprise. "'Kashi?"

"Ah, ya're awake." He mumbled. It wasn't easy to speak properly when your mouth was busy with sucking a cock. "A p'anne' a 'kesk'."

"Hmmmm… Excuse me?"

With a wet 'plop' Kakashi released the fully grown length out of his mouth. "I planned a test."

"Oh, right. You're my sensei so I guess you know what you are doin'!" Naruto grinned. Kakashi was a pervert, but he was_ his _lovable pervert. "What do I have to do?"

The grey haired man grinned sneaky. "Nothing."

Naruto raised a brow. "Nothin'?"

"No, let me do the work." Without further ado Kakashi turned around, lifting on all fourth and presenting Naruto with his firm cheeks, surrounding a light pink, twitching hole. "That's where you will push into, 'Ruto. That's where you will push your cock through to fill me!"

The blond moaned. "'Kashi, I want to fuck you!"

"You will, my fox!" Two skilled fingers, already coated in lube, pushed through the tight muscle and began with scissoring moves. Naruto laid his hands onto Kakashi's ass and spread the cheeks. The older man moaned and presented his ass proudly, giving his boyfriend a show.

The blond could see rosy, glistering flesh being pulled open by the lubed intruders, being coated with slick gel as the fingers pushed in further.

"Naruto, lube one of your fingers and join me!" Kakashi whispered and wiggled his bottom. Naruto complied with his sensei's orders and entered the warm embrace of tight walls. "Follow my fingers and push a little deeper."

Once again the blond followed his orders and suddenly the muscle in front of his eyes began an erratic twitching and Kakashi yowled like his ninken. "Exactly there, 'Ruto! Memorize that point and you might be able to make me mush under your hands!"

Naruto chuckled and stroked the bundle of nerves once again, this time more gently. "I'll make sure to remember that!"

Kakashi added a third of his fingers and stretched his hole hissing. "It was a long time since I had to do something like this, 'Ruto. It's nearly a new first time for me…"

"It IS a first time for me on the giving end; let's do this together." Naruto grinned and waited for his boyfriend to tell him which position they would choose.

Kakashi turned around and gave Naruto's still fully erect cock a checking glance. "I take it my show was enjoyable?" Nod. "Right, then let me lube you up before we do the next step."

The man coated the throbbing length with lube. "Ready?"

"Can't wait!" Naruto stared at his cock as Kakashi lowered his hip above him. Soon his red head nudged the puckered hole and the blond's eyes flew up, focusing on his lover's face.

The pressure increased and suddenly Kakashi sank down some inches, sheathing the pulsing length half inside his ass. "You're big!" he moaned, relishing the thunderstruck expression on Naruto's features.

"You took me in! My cock is in your tight hole!"

"Annnnnnd… Hng!" Kakashi tried to vocalize his thoughts. "Does it feel good? 'Cause for me it's… GODS!... great!"

"It **is** great, 'Kashi!" Naruto panted, waiting for Kakashi to sink further down. "Now I know what you meant. Your ass is swallowing my cock! And you around me and me in you and! GODS!"

"I channnggggh! Changed my mind, 'Ruto. You'll work with me. Thrust!" The last word was spoken in Kakashi's ANBU-captain-voice and Naruto obeyed automatically. In a fluid motion his hip thrust forward and pushed his cock into his lover's tight ass to the hilt.

"Oh gods, 'Kashi! You're tight! You're hot! You're perfect!"

Kakashi loved that his boyfriend was so vocal in the bedroom. And he knew exactly the right words. A sudden thrust into his prostate let his eyes roll back into his head and his tongue loll out of the corner of his mouth. _And he knows the location of my fucking prostate! _A cry cut through the air.

"YOU'RE MINE!" Naruto exclaimed and pounded upwards, hitting Kakashi's prostate dead on.

"You're mine and I love you, 'Kashi! Gods, I can feel you clenching around my cock, swallowing it with your ass and milking it! I can feel you are craving for my juice, aren't you?"

_For someone who is fucking the shit out of his boyfriend, Naruto surely knows how to voice his thoughts._ As Kakashi tried to answer in coherent sentences he managed just a harsh "Gnaaahhh!", then toppled forward, sinking onto Naruto's sweaty chest.

Naruto didn't stop his thrusts, burying his thick cock deep in Kakashi over and over again. Because of the new angle his engorged tip brushed the grey haired man's prostate with every movement, sending chills down his spine. The giant cock stretched his anus, his inner walls, his every being and presented him with heavenly pleasure.

The shaft rubbed his crevice, the oozing tip stroke exactly the right points, the whole cock was a piece of art! And Naruto knew how to use it! Without touching himself Kakashi felt his climax approaching fast.

"'Ruto, I! I! **I**…"

"Yes, 'Kashi!" Naruto's voice revealed his own nearing orgasm. "Me too!"

If possible he even increased the tact of his thrusts and plowed the pale, perfect ass swallowing his cock. The wave of completion flooded Naruto's nerves and in a sharp cry he released his essences. Pumping his sperm deep in Kakashi the blond rode out his orgasm, panting and groaning in bliss.

Kakashi soon followed, pulled over the edge by Naruto's harsh bite in his collarbone.

The boy drew blood and let some red-glowing chakra flow into the wound. The cut glowed red and healed, leaving a prominent bite mark. "'Kashi, bite me!"

Kakashi followed the order, wanting to give Naruto a similar mark, even it would be healed by the Kyuubi. As soon as his teeth broke the skin Naruto shuddered, his cock twitched frantically and he came a second time. Boiling hot semen ran into Kakashi and filled him out, radiating a familiar heat.

**_Not this time, Kakashi. I won't heal this, because it is fueled with my own power._**

Kakashi hadn't heard the voice but he knew immediately it was Kyuubi. He had sensed his presence in Naruto before and the feeling was similar this time, only wilder.

**_You have given my kit something I haven't thought he could get. You gave him a life he wants to live. Kakashi, you have saved him once. Did you know that he had wanted to die that day? He had stopped me, didn't let me heal him. Then you came and you took him with you. That was the day he was reborn._**

Kakashi didn't know what to say.

**_The semen that fills you now is purely Naruto. I have just mingled some of my chakra. I had to talk to you, had to explain what you mean to my kit – and what you mean to me. Naruto loves you, I respect you. And there are only four humans I respect – two of them are dead. One is their son and one is his lover. Hatake Kakashi, you are marked by my kit and therefore by me. My kit is marked by you and therefore by me._**

"Thank you, Kyuubi-sama!" Kakashi meant it. He was sure he couldn't lie to the demon while he filled his thoughts.

_**Never, little man! I can smell lies. But you can't even think without me knowing while I am in your thoughts.**_

"I like you, Kyuubi, you're funny." A dark, growling laughter filled his thoughts, than Kakashi was back with Naruto.

A loud cry ripped the air and left Kakashi breathless and with a sore throat, but it was all worth it. Naruto's essences dripped out of his stretched hole, running down the blond's shaft and damping his pubes and Kakashi's own essences were a sticky mess, connecting their sweaty chests.

"'Ruto, I have talked to Kyuubi." Kakashi panted, following the contours of his mark on the tanned skin. "I think he likes me."

Naruto snickered. "He better does! Or I would have to kick his fury ass!" He flung his arms around Kakashi's trembling body. "Thank you, 'Kashi, for everything you ever did for me. I love you!"

"Thank you for being here, 'Ruto! I don't know what I would do without you!"

They stayed in their embrace, connected by their mouths, their copulation and their souls.

Drifting over into sleep the shower was once again rescheduled. But it was still early and there was nothing that could disconnect them, now less than ever. And the results of their lovemaking the least!

############################

**End**


End file.
